Liverpool FC Forum

[Sabre]

On another note, though, what did people make of him switching flanks with Babel repeatedly in the 2nd half?  Obviously, he doesn't switch flanks with any of our other right midfielders when they play together so I have to think it was some tactic designed to make Babel more effective.  Pity it had no effect.

Normally coaches do this when your winger is having a tough game with the defender, but I didn't honestly understand why we did it yesterday. Not that the RB was particularly slow, so we couldn't use Babel's raw pace there, and he failed to face properly the defenders too. I didn't see if I have to be honest the need of that variant.

As for Riera going through the middle, that was easy to understand. A very deep opposition, control of posession, time to allow Carra and Insua to invade the position of Riera or Babel, and attempt to make superiority in numbers in the middle.

[account deleted by request]

I see a lot of comments about Riera drifting in and out of games but, IMO, that's what most wingers do.  Much depends on the service he receives, the willingness of the fullback to overlap (which Insua and Carragher did little of yesterday) and the shape of the opponents.  It's natural for wingers to drift in and out of games.  The fact that Riera scored the winning goal is enough for me.

On another note, though, what did people make of him switching flanks with Babel repeatedly in the 2nd half?  Obviously, he doesn't switch flanks with any of our other right midfielders when they play together so I have to think it was some tactic designed to make Babel more effective.  Pity it had no effect.

I think the reason they swopped flancs was that the only real dangerman Preston had was Wallace who had skinned Carra a couple of times. There was some stat by the commentator that Wallace had 6 assists in their last 8 goals or something. Riera helped to occupy Wallace with defensive duties and restrict the number of times he could get forward.

Whether it worked or not?

[Fo Dne]

Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

Yeah, ineffective...

Scored the goal, put one on a plate for a striker which was missed and generally ran the game along with Alonso and Gerrard.



I'd settle for that much ineffectiveness every week.

[tubby]

If thats the case then he has been 'ineffective' all season.

[metalhead]

I thought he did really well yesterday, beat players well and his passing was superb. Then he drifted off the game in the second half 

[tubby]

He does tend to do that sometimes but overall his contributions to the team are fantastic. One of Rafas best signings imo. Man City shouldn't have let him go.

[Toffeehater]

To be fair , he's twice the player he is now than he was at city . I remember than he was rather like babel , always ran into players and pushed off the ball far too easily . Great signing by rafa and he didn't cost the world either .

[maguskwt]

If thats the case then he has been 'ineffective' all season.

.... yeah  .... oops

[tubby]

To be fair , he's twice the player he is now than he was at city . I remember than he was rather like babel , always ran into players and pushed off the ball far too easily . Great signing by rafa and he didn't cost the world either .

Careful.... For a minute it almost sounded like you were insinuating that Babel would turn into as influential a player as Riera is. 

[Quadrophenia]

Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

Yeah, ineffective...

Scored the goal, put one on a plate for a striker which was missed and generally ran the game along with Alonso and Gerrard.



I'd settle for that much ineffectiveness every week.

So in 90 minutes he creates one chance? sake, what a player we've signed. One creative moment in an entire match. What a gem.

Ran the game?  Ran out of the game more like mate. Was completely wasteful in possesion for most of the game, doesn't track back and help a youngster like Insua through his early games. Was so effective, he got switched to the right were he hardly touched the ball.

Another overrated player and the only reason people are drooling over him as if he's some John Barnes or Steve Heighway is because of what has been down our left wing in recent years. Yes he's an improvement on Kewell, Babel, Gonzalez, Benayoun, Riise and anything else we've had on the left under Benitez, but he is still nowhere near as good as people make out. Put it this way, I'd rather see Patrick Berger down the left than Riera.

[Red Dotty]

Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

Yeah, ineffective...

Scored the goal, put one on a plate for a striker which was missed and generally ran the game along with Alonso and Gerrard.



I'd settle for that much ineffectiveness every week.

So in 90 minutes he creates one chance? sake, what a player we've signed. One creative moment in an entire match. What a gem.

Ran the game?  Ran out of the game more like mate. Was completely wasteful in possesion for most of the game, doesn't track back and help a youngster like Insua through his early games. Was so effective, he got switched to the right were he hardly touched the ball.

Another overrated player and the only reason people are drooling over him as if he's some John Barnes or Steve Heighway is because of what has been down our left wing in recent years. Yes he's an improvement on Kewell, Babel, Gonzalez, Benayoun, Riise and anything else we've had on the left under Benitez, but he is still nowhere near as good as people make out. Put it this way, I'd rather see Patrick Berger down the left than Riera.

Is this for real or a wind up.

[Zidane]

Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

Yeah, ineffective...

Scored the goal, put one on a plate for a striker which was missed and generally ran the game along with Alonso and Gerrard.



I'd settle for that much ineffectiveness every week.

So in 90 minutes he creates one chance? sake, what a player we've signed. One creative moment in an entire match. What a gem.

Ran the game?  Ran out of the game more like mate. Was completely wasteful in possesion for most of the game, doesn't track back and help a youngster like Insua through his early games. Was so effective, he got switched to the right were he hardly touched the ball.

Another overrated player and the only reason people are drooling over him as if he's some John Barnes or Steve Heighway is because of what has been down our left wing in recent years. Yes he's an improvement on Kewell, Babel, Gonzalez, Benayoun, Riise and anything else we've had on the left under Benitez, but he is still nowhere near as good as people make out. Put it this way, I'd rather see Patrick Berger down the left than Riera.

The whole point is that he is better than anything we've had before, I don't remember anyone saying he is world class or anything of that nature.  No one overrates him and no one puts him up there with John Barnes or Steve Heighway.  I don't know what you have against him but that was one biased post.

[tubby]

Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

Yeah, ineffective...

Scored the goal, put one on a plate for a striker which was missed and generally ran the game along with Alonso and Gerrard.



I'd settle for that much ineffectiveness every week.

So in 90 minutes he creates one chance? sake, what a player we've signed. One creative moment in an entire match. What a gem.

Ran the game?  Ran out of the game more like mate. Was completely wasteful in possesion for most of the game, doesn't track back and help a youngster like Insua through his early games. Was so effective, he got switched to the right were he hardly touched the ball.

Another overrated player and the only reason people are drooling over him as if he's some John Barnes or Steve Heighway is because of what has been down our left wing in recent years. Yes he's an improvement on Kewell, Babel, Gonzalez, Benayoun, Riise and anything else we've had on the left under Benitez, but he is still nowhere near as good as people make out. Put it this way, I'd rather see Patrick Berger down the left than Riera.

Actually I would say a fit Harry Kewell is as good if not better than Riera but thats hard to say as we never really saw him for any prolonged time fit although he did have your moment. But you are talking rubbish mate how can you say that about him? He is always creating chances and looking livley in the opposition half.

[JC_81]

Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

Yeah, ineffective...

Scored the goal, put one on a plate for a striker which was missed and generally ran the game along with Alonso and Gerrard.



I'd settle for that much ineffectiveness every week.

So in 90 minutes he creates one chance? sake, what a player we've signed. One creative moment in an entire match. What a gem.

Ran the game?  Ran out of the game more like mate. Was completely wasteful in possesion for most of the game, doesn't track back and help a youngster like Insua through his early games. Was so effective, he got switched to the right were he hardly touched the ball.

Another overrated player and the only reason people are drooling over him as if he's some John Barnes or Steve Heighway is because of what has been down our left wing in recent years. Yes he's an improvement on Kewell, Babel, Gonzalez, Benayoun, Riise and anything else we've had on the left under Benitez, but he is still nowhere near as good as people make out. Put it this way, I'd rather see Patrick Berger down the left than Riera.

Is this for real or a wind up.

Wind up.

Ignore his posts.

[Quadrophenia]

The whole point is that he is better than anything we've had before,

no one puts him up there with John Barnes or Steve Heighway.  I don't know what you have against him but that was one biased post.

Slight contradiction wouldn't you say mate? He's either up there with Digger and Stevie or he isn't better than anything we've had before.

Truth is, he's overrated which ever way you look at it. He's better than anything we've had in the last five years, but lets be fair it's hardly difficult.

He's still wasteful in possesion which is why he has 1 assist all season. He tries to many clever flicks, which is why the ball constantly comes down our left, which in turn hasn't helped Dossena settle. Has scored a few goals in recent games, so everybody thinks he's a world beater, well there's 90 minutes in a football match and it wouldn't hurt for him to just once be involved for about 70 of them.