insua and johnson today

[floyd the barber]

thought insua was impressive yet again...

 

really does look quality when he gets the ball, an excellent first touch...good crossing ability, strong and seems asured and condident at the back...

 

very happy with him...

 

johnson, well we all know from the past the deal with him.....great going forward...weak at the back, horrible positonal sense and at fault for one of the goals by getting sucked into the middle....hopefully he can improve here.

 

but Insua..wow, top quality and definetly first choice for me

[JonShar]

Aurelio is brilliant, don't know how anyone couldn't pick him as first choice when fit. Arguably the best left back in the league for me if he could have a season free of injury.

[John am Rhein]

weak at the back, horrible positonal sense and at fault for one of the goals by getting sucked into the middle

 

Oh no, you mustn't say that, it's not politically correct

[Dule]

Johnson will improve over time with the guidance of Rafa. I really would not worry about that too much. His attacking quality will bring far more to the team that his defensive play could take away from it.

[John am Rhein]

His attacking quality will bring far more to the team that his defensive play could take away from it.

 

What reason is there for thinking that?

[Mike]

johnson wasn't really at fault for the goals. i like him, great on the ball and strong with far more passing ability than i had realised. he had to try and cover his own position and 2 very out of their depth centre halves who frankly, didn't have a clue what to do.

hyppias replacement should have been here a long time ago now, its unnacceptable for those 2 to be our centre halves in a key warm up game so soon before the season opener. i'm terrified what crouch or defoe would do to them if we have to play even one of them at whl.

[Murphman]

What reason is there for thinking that?

 

 

I agree with him, it's a lot easier for a top drawer defensive coach like Rafa to improve a players positional sense than make them into a top class attacking wing back. I love the way Johnson can check inside and cross it with his left for or simply sling one in on the run with his right. It makes you realise just how bad Risse was.

[Dan]

Big Glen was one of the plus points from yesterday.

 

He was sucked into the middle for their second goal because he was trying to cover for the youngsters.

[Stefano]

Didn't think Johnson was at fault for any of the goals.

[Stefano]

Oh no, you mustn't say that, it's not politically correct

 

Is this what it's going to be like with you all season, jumping on any of his poor performances to tell us how amazingly insightful you are, while ignoring any positives?

Edited August 9, 2009 by Stefano

[Metro]

johnson wasn't really at fault for the goals. i like him, great on the ball and strong with far more passing ability than i had realised. he had to try and cover his own position and 2 very out of their depth centre halves who frankly, didn't have a clue what to do.

hyppias replacement should have been here a long time ago now, its unnacceptable for those 2 to be our centre halves in a key warm up game so soon before the season opener. i'm terrified what crouch or defoe would do to them if we have to play even one of them at whl.

 

I just couldn't see, meself, why Rafa didn't offer Hyppia an agreeable extension. He's still better than our cover. Even so, think Martin Kelly should have come on for Carra.

[Leo No.8]

Oh no, you mustn't say that, it's not politically correct

 

Change the f*cking record.

 

Johnson obviously did some really good things going forward yesterday - trying (fairly tenuously) to blame him for one of the goals and completely ignoring the impressive aspects of his game just makes you look idiotic.

 

Unless there's some objectivity, then nothing you've got to say on the subject of Glen Johnson is of any interest to anyone. Every comment you make is more like a political party broadcast against the player.

 

He's an outstanding young full back who will go on to do really well for us. There are aspects of his defensive game that need work, but unless you consider the good in his game as well (of which there is plenty) then where's the point?

 

Does is give you a great deal of pleasure trying to tear down a young guy who has just chosen Liverpool over Chelsea, and is just starting his career at our club? You seem to be really into it, which I find strange.

[Leo No.8]

I just couldn't see, meself, why Rafa didn't offer Hyppia an agreeable extension. He's still better than our cover. Even so, think Martin Kelly should have come on for Carra.

 

He did offer him an extension, in fact he offered him an extension and the chance to move into coaching. Sami chose to move because he wanted to play every week, which was a shame but understandable as he was fourth choice.

 

None of our three first choice centre halves are seriously injured; it looks worrying now but as long as two of them are fit for Spurs then we'll be fine, which all the indications are will be the case.

 

It really is difficult finding a player who is good enough and willing to be fourth choice. I think it has to be a promising young lad to be honest, becauae a senior player will get fed up of sitting on the bench.

 

Alternatively you could buy a player who can cover a couple of positions, but again its getting the quality at the right price from a player who is happy to be backup. Turner looks a good lad, but I don't think there are enough games for him here.

[Guest PaulMcC]

Agger is very injury prone even though his current injury isn't serious. Although it's kept him out for a few weeks now.

[Andy @ Allerton]

Insua was MOM easily today. Johnson did very, very well and Kelly looked immense when he came on.

 

 

Good experience for Ayala and San Jose. Reina was decent enough. Benayoun and Kuyt were solid. Torres started off very poorly but picked up as the game went on. Gerrard was poor throughout and his corners were laughable. Especially when he insisted on taking them. N'Gog looked impressive when he came on. Babel seems to have beefed out a bit and looked very strong. Voronin did well as well and Spearing was excellent.

[John am Rhein]

Change the f*cking record.

 

How about you change YOUR f*cking record?

[MFletcher]

How about you change YOUR f*cking record?

 

He's right though, it's incredibly tedious to see any discussion about Johnson interspersed with sarcastic comments from yourself.

 

You don't rate him. I think we've established that.

[John am Rhein]

Is this what it's going to be like with you all season, jumping on any of his poor performances to tell us how amazingly insightful you are, while ignoring any positives?

 

No, I'll give token but insincere recognition to any positives to show my arguments are 'balanced'.

 

But I'll still secretly be driving the pins into the voodoo doll.

[John am Rhein]

He's right though, it's incredibly tedious to see any discussion about Johnson interspersed with sarcastic comments from yourself.

 

You don't rate him. I think we've established that.

 

It's not tedious at all. Numerous other players get far more consistent and repetitive criticism from large numbers of people. Now that's tedious.

[MFletcher]

That's tedious as well.

[John am Rhein]

I agree with him, it's a lot easier for a top drawer defensive coach like Rafa to improve a players positional sense than make them into a top class attacking wing back. I love the way Johnson can check inside and cross it with his left for or simply sling one in on the run with his right. It makes you realise just how bad Risse was.

 

So why couldn't Benitez sort Riise out?

 

There's no truth in the theory that it's somehow easier to improve a players defensive game than it is to improve his attacking game. Players who are good at getting forward and have an eye for the right run into space tend to be so BECAUSE they don't naturally have a defensive outlook (as, for example, Jamie Carragher clearly does). Change the way they think about the game and they'll most likely become far less effective going forward while still not being up to much defensively.

[John am Rhein]

That's tedious as well.

 

Stop being so tedious you tedious tw*t

[Stevie]

think Martin Kelly should have come on for Carra.

I think Martin Kelly has done enough pre-season to be called up into the squad if he's required. I think Rafa brought the kids on to see if either of them are up to that level yet. Unfortunately neither of them seem to be quite there yet so we'll probably have to buy someone else as cover.

[Leo No.8]

No, I'll give token but insincere recognition to any positives to show my arguments are 'balanced'.

 

But I'll still secretly be driving the pins into the voodoo doll.

 

Seriousy - practically every player who is good enough to join Liverpool has his merits.

 

I've been a critic of Lucas at times for example because I'm not sure he has the phsyical attributes to be a big success here, but there are positive aspects about his game such as his movement and passing, and he's had a good pre season.

 

So anyone who has nothing good whatsoever to say about a particular player usually just has an agenda against them. It makes that particular person look blinkered and ignorant.

[John am Rhein]

Well I'm certainly neither blinkered nor ignorant (as you well know) whatever dubious spin you choose to put on my remarks.

 

No one would deny Glen Johnson has some merits, but he's not really good enough for us.

 

The fact that he's basically just been bought because he's English is the main annoyance about this.