Hodgson's mates in the media have started the fightback

[Ronnie#5]

Looks like Hodgson's pals have decided to defend the c***. Paul Hayward is nothing only a cockney c***. He has a twitter feed so I say we bombard the sneery c***.

 

 

http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gnm/op/skcNMIKldw8ve3RtcOrYA_w/view.m?id=15&gid=football/blog/2010/dec/30/liverpool-roy-hodgson&cat=football

 

When Paul Konchesky joined Liverpool this summer a rival Premier League manager invoked the ghost of Julian Dicks, another bald English left-back from central casting. "He's not a Liverpool player," the manager remarked of Konchesky, who was jeered from the pitch in last night's 1-0 defeat at home to Wolves, days after his mother had allegedly called the club's fans "Scouse scum" in a hastily erased Facebook post.

"A Liverpool player" is an instantly evocative title that evokes Dalglish, Keegan, Souness, Lawrenson and Rush. The question of who is – and who demonstrably is not – a candidate for this deification has exercised the minds of Liverpool supporters since Graeme Souness handed the shirts of living saints to several comparative journeymen in his three-year reign from 1991-94.

Konchesky's acquisition from Fulham by Roy Hodgson was a rational attempt to solve a positional shortcoming and is cited here only because Liverpool's deep structural weakness is easy to identify. In the 20 years since they last won the league title, an ocean liner of substandard or under-achieving footballers has disgorged its human cargo at the Mersey docks and sent it up to Anfield, where the team now sit in 12th place in the Premier League, three points above the relegation zone.

On his own journey from the Thames to the Mersey, Hodgson saw straightaway that Liverpool's first- and reserve-team squads were suffocating under the weight of mediocre and unused personnel. A reader of highbrow fiction, the former Fulham manager used a fine phrase to describe the surfeit of drifters he came across while Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Dirk Kuyt did most of the hard work. Hodgson called them "purposeless".

Critics will say he has added to the ranks of the purposeless by taking delivery of Konchesky, Christian Poulsen and Milan Jovanovic (Joe Cole and Raul Meireles are of a higher calibre and still have time to assert their talents). But equally Hodgson could point to his excellent rebuilding work at Fulham and his shrewd eye for a hidden jewel. He could also say Liverpool are deluded by old glories (Carol Konchesky said that, too) if they think the budget exists to spend like Manchester City after so many expensive blow-outs in the transfer market.

Simply: Liverpool have recruited dozens of duds over the last 10 seasons while Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have signed very few. The Kop, the team's best players and Hodgson himself are toiling against this debilitating imbalance, which has become manageable only in bursts: first when Rafael Benítez's team won the 2005 Champions League and then when Gerrard, Carragher, Pepe Reina, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano gelled to propel the 2008-09 side to second place in the Premier League with 86 points.

Any professional footballer will tell you a trophy-winning team needs a decisive ratio of gifted players and committed winners. Benítez's best side possessed that magical half-dozen. But when Alonso and Mascherano left, Torres lost interest and Gerrard and Carragher were hampered increasingly by injuries, the mediocrity all around them again became Liverpool's defining characteristic.

There is no memory game on red Merseyside quite like the recitation of nearly-men and no-names – starting with the forwards. Sean Dundee, Erik Meijer, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Fernando Morientes, Titi Camara, Ryan Babel, David Ngog and Andriy Voronin demand inclusion. In other wide or attacking midfield positions room would be found for Anthony Le Tallec, Albert Riera, Mark González, Jermaine Pennant and Bruno Cheyrou. Defenders worth a mention are Philipp Degen, Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Andrea Dossena. This random selection from a lengthy list leaves out many obscure French or Spanish purchases who barely sniffed first-team action. The vast scale of waste is a huge rolling problem for a club once renowned for precision in the scouting department. Each wave of mistakes creates a new challenge of culling and dispersal, restricts budgets and overloads those players capable of vying for titles with the responsibility of carrying passengers.

The homegrown Liverpool contingent have complained privately for years about this annual influx of substandard punts. A scattergun transfer policy has conspired with the failure of the academy system to produce heirs to Gerrard, Carragher, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler. Under extreme pressure to correct the slide of Benítez's last campaign, Hodgson tries to perform major surgery on a bloated workforce while bad results whip up a wrecking gale.

The emotional disengagement of Torres bites at the hopes of supporters because he is the one world-class foreign import still wearing the Liver bird, unless Reina creeps in. Called to the stand, Gérard Houllier and Benítez would defend themselves with weighty evidence. Houllier won a domestic and European cup treble in 2001 and Benítez took them to two Champions League finals (winning one) from 2005-07. Neither, though, could bounce the team any higher than second in the Premier League.

Both surrendered that momentum straight after building it. Houllier spent £20m on Salif Diao, Cheyrou and El Hadji Diouf in the summer before Liverpool fell back to fifth (2002) and Benítez went from second in 2009 to seventh 12 months later. The reason, in both cases, was a dilution rather than a deepening of the talent pool.

So an exasperated Anfield crowd mock the manager ("Hodgson for England" they sing) while Liverpool arrive in a new year with their worst points total since Don Welsh's team were relegated in 1953-54. The club's new American owners, who have no experience of making football decisions, must calculate whether to back Hodgson's cull or simply transfer a chronic structural problem to another manager.

In the past 10 years major transfer miscalculations by Arsenal, Chelsea and United can be counted on the fingers of two hands. At Liverpool they cram the picture. The Noughties were an age of mass auditions and experimentation, and culpability extends to owners and directors.

Unveiling Ron Yeats, Bill Shankly invited journalists "to walk around" the "colossus" he had signed. Yeats was "a Liverpool player" in the intended sense. Not just good, but special. There are too few now.

[dorgie]

Looks like Hodgson's pals have decided to defend the c***. Paul Hayward is nothing only a cockney c***. He has a twitter feed so I say we bombard the sneery c***.

 

 

Should never have left Haircut 100. Went downhill after that.

[Epic Swindle]

Hayward is hopeless, no one reads his crap.

[Earl Hafler]

That's a terrible piece. Google, thesaurus, make the rest up.

[DonRafa]

f*** them. f*** them all

[Jim D]

Full of crap from start to finish.

[Maldini]

I'm not reading anything praising him, there's no reason to praise him now and it'll only send me into a rage

[aka Dus]

I don't think that's praising him. Am I missing the point?

 

Seems to me that he's simply saying that we've signed s*** loads of s*** players. Hard to argue with that.

 

For years when talking about what they think is wrong with Liverpool a lot of my non LFC fans, many of whom would have no particular affiliation to any British club being fans of the Ireland football team first and foremost, have said that the reason we haven't won leagues is because we sign so many players who "are never Liverpool players". For people of a certain age it's a valid contention to make.

 

Who could argue that if we bought better players we'd have won the league by now?

[Rimbeux]

I don't think that's praising him. Am I missing the point?

 

Seems to me that he's simply saying that we've signed s*** loads of s*** players. Hard to argue with that.

 

For years when talking about what they think is wrong with Liverpool a lot of my non LFC fans, many of whom would have no particular affiliation to any British club being fans of the Ireland football team first and foremost, have said that the reason we haven't won leagues is because we sign so many players who "are never Liverpool players". For people of a certain age it's a valid contention to make.

 

Who could argue that if we bought better players we'd have won the league by now?

 

 

True enough. I think the argument is that it's a distraction and diversion to the current story. I just think the writer misses the point, I dont think (m)any are arguing that it's all down to Hodgson and that his removal will make everything cool, rather he's a big problem, is making other problems worse and is not part of the solution. Getting the right players in and developed has been identified and acted on already in hiring Comolli.

[BoboS]

True enough. I think the argument is that it's a distraction and diversion to the current story. I just think the writer misses the point, I dont think (m)any are arguing that it's all down to Hodgson and that his removal will make everything cool, rather he's a big problem, is making other problems worse and is not part of the solution. Getting the right players in and developed has been identified and acted on already in hiring Comolli.

 

 

Elsewhere in the guardian this is pretty spot on, though (sorry if posted already, hadn't seen anywhere on here) - media momentum has clearly turned in the last 24 hours, not before f*cking time mind!!!

 

 

Liverpool have to sack Hodgson now

 

Pass and move, it's the Liverpool groove? Not any more. The Hodgson way is more hoof and pray. As endless long punts were hammered towards Fernando Torres and David Ngog during last night's defeat to Wolves, it became increasingly impossible to justify Roy Hodgson lasting at Anfield beyond the end of the week. Patience has its virtues, and chairmen can be trigger-happy, but it is hardly compulsory; Hodgson's time is up. He simply has to go. Forget about giving him extra time and the chance to dip into the transfer market in January. Trust has to be earned and Hodgson has failed. Liverpool are perched three points above the bottom three. Losing to Northampton Town, Blackpool and Wolves at Anfield in the space of six months, no matter what financial constraints Hodgson has had to work under, is a grotesque underachievement for a club of Liverpool's elevated standing.

 

For all his complaints about the situation he inherited from Rafael Benítez, Hodgson took over a squad containing Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Torres. Granted, he lost Mascherano to Barcelona but he also willingly parted with Alberto Aquilani, while bringing in the laughable pair of Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen. Although Liverpool were average last season, they still finished seventh. With the players at his disposal, Hodgson has introduced an ugly, negative route-one style, which last night saw the defence bypassing the midfield with alarming regularity.

 

These tactics might have sufficed at Fulham, but then Hodgson has often appeared dumbfounded by the level of expectation at Anfield. Not only is this approach unforgivable against Wolves, who were bottom of the table before the game and had amassed just one point on their travels all season, it is hopelessly misguided considering the players at Hodgson's disposal. Torres is not exactly Kevin Davies – he needs the ball played to feet or for him to run on to. He will never beat the likes of Christophe Berra in the air. Torres is a world-class striker being forced to operate like a lower-league journeyman, even if his form has been at that standard since the summer.

 

While Liverpool's players must take some responsibility too, clearly Hodgson has lost the dressing room, if he ever had it in the first place. Under Benítez, when Liverpool were losing games at Anfield, teams would brace themselves for the inevitable barrage as they defended their goal at the Kop End, waiting for Gerrard to pop up with a jaw-dropping equaliser. Last night there was nothing. With Wolves, whose sparky, attractive style of play belied their lowly position, required to do the bare minimum, dissent grew among the home supporters. Afterwards Hodgson was critical of the fans, questioning where the "famous support" had gone. He sounded like an away fan mocking a subdued home crowd about the lack of atmosphere. It almost appears as if he is getting his shots in early. Liverpool's supporters already disliked Hodgson. This will be seen as a step too far.

[Zoob]

Hayward: "Simply: Liverpool have recruited dozens of duds over the last 10 seasons while Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have signed very few. "

 

Partly due to lack of money and partly due to bad buys, we have signed more duds than the other top teams, but the gulf is nowhere near what Hayward makes out. Shocking stuff. Note that how he says the critics may point to Poulsen and Konchesky as duds, but won't go as far as to call them duds himself...

[Stevie H]

hayward's one of those journalists i can't believe genuinely gets paid for what he comes out with. he's staggeringly awful.

[torn]

Jen Chang linked to this interesting article by hayward http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jul/01/roy-hodgson-liverpool?CMP=twt_gu modestly titled Kop needed a sage to restore spirit – now they have one in Roy Hodgson

 

"Assuming the deal goes through, Hodgson's Liverpool will get back on the front foot. They will assert their pedigree. Nullifying the opposition will not be their religion. This is the first step out of the darkness for a side who finished seventh in the Premier League and now face a second Europa League campaign. Some will shout that keeping Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano and Pepe Reina is the real first step to a renaissance and they would be right, except that those stars may be persuaded to stay only if they think Liverpool will recover their old identity and stop playing chess."

 

c**k

[Rocheteau]

I think Paul is simply playing devils advocate, journalists seem to enjoy doing this to make themselves stand out. Its attention seeking and the Guardian know that every time they write about Liverpool they get a huge reaction.

 

I read the blogs all the time and sometimes pick up on things I hadn't previously considered, helps if you're thick skinned. Paul has his opinion, its flawed as some of those who replied point out, but it keeps him happy

Edited December 31, 2010 by ChaoticPrimate

[torn]

How is he playing devils advocate? He's making predictions, not advocating on behalf of a line of thinking e.g.

Hodgson's Liverpool will get back on the front foot. Not happened

They will assert their pedigree. Not happened

Nullifying the opposition will not be their religion It's true that we don't even try to stop the opposition, but we don't try to win either

 

It may be being done to attract attention but how does that make his inaccuracy any better?

 

Your last two points are so broad as to be pointless. I read blogs too and learn stuff from them, so what? Paul does have an opinion and is entitled to one, as am i. In my opinion his opinion is s***.

[mark s]

I think Paul is simply playing devils advocate, journalists seem to enjoy doing this to make themselves stand out. Its attention seeking and the Guardian know that every time they write about Liverpool they get a huge reaction.

 

I read the blogs all the time and sometimes pick up on things I hadn't previously considered, helps if you're thick skinned. Paul has his opinion, its flawed as some of those who replied point out, but it keeps him happy

 

 

CP are you on first name terms with all the journos? I thought it was just Dave Maddock who had a close relationship with?

 

btw f*** off Purslow!!!!

[Rocheteau]

CP are you on first name terms with all the journos? I thought it was just Dave Maddock who had a close relationship with?

 

btw f*** off Purslow!!!!

''thefoolonthehill'' yeah, .........no argument newton abott's village idiot opens his gob

Edited December 31, 2010 by ChaoticPrimate

[mark s]

''thefoolonthehill'' yeah, .........no argument newton abott's village idiot opens his gob

 

 

but a fool wouldn't have employed Hodgson, only a tosser would have done that!

Nice to see that you troubled yourself to look at my profile to insult me, I've got nothing to hide why don't you come clean about who you really are?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

btw newton abbot isn't a village and I'm not an idiot