Liverpool FC Forum

[naviedes]

Sorry I need to know what happened with Gonzalez. Is he injured. Whay Rafa didnt use him

[Redman in wales]

We had five players who are, by trade, defenders and two defensive midfielders, plus the goalkeeper. That's 8 players from 11 whose instincts are to prevent goals, not create. Therein lies the problem.

a very interesting point.

[76-1174245250]

Sorry I need to know what happened with Gonzalez. Is he injured. Whay Rafa didnt use him

Because he's absoloutely and a complete waste of space.

[Santa]

why gonzalez did not play?

don't think he'll make any difference...the entire team just do not have a attacking bone in them to snatch a win today. Bellamy and Kuyt just didn't get the supply they need. I think Sissoko and Aurelio today is a waste of time but at least Mascherano is using the ball intelligently. I would rather Riise play midfield and using Pennant or Alonso from the very start. It's sad when a Villa team could contain us so easily. They are in there today to play for a draw and we didn't exactly push them all day... 

[76-1174245250]

Aston Villa today could have and should have been beaten by three of four goals. They were that poor. We made them look average today. We were a disgrace and I felt so sorry for Steven Gerrard. I can't believe I wasted £50 to go and watch that and will be writing to the club to complain and ask for my money back.

Today summed up everything that was wrong with this side.

[parchpea]

Dreadful performance today and it seemed they just wanted the match over soon as and home.

When you start the match with 7 defensive minded outfield players you cannot expect champagne football. Why the hell we are approaching games this way at this point of the campaign I have no idea. May as well give us a treat by having a real go at teams. I pity those that travelled to Villa Park.

Aside from that there was just zero passion in the play. Where was the rally cry from Gerrard who should have been waving his fist and getting the lads fired up but nothing of the sort. Absolutely heartless the whole thing.

I lost count of the amount of times we passed side and back. Chuckle brother football, from you to me from me to you but in our own half with zero penetration. Why cant we buy a midfielder that looks FORWARD and plays give and goes on the FRONT foot. We only have guys that go side and back. Defensive midfielders.

Back in my box now and hope for better things to come in Europe. We will be up for that at least!

Onwards and upwards 

[76-1174245250]

Dreadful performance today and it seemed they just wanted the match over soon as and home.

When you start the match with 7 defensive minded outfield players you cannot expect champagne football. Why the hell we are approaching games this way at this point of the campaign I have no idea. May as well give us a treat by having a real go at teams. I pity those that travelled to Villa Park.

Aside from that there was just zero passion in the play. Where was the rally cry from Gerrard who should have been waving his fist and getting the lads fired up but nothing of the sort. Absolutely heartless the whole thing.

I lost count of the amount of times we passed side and back. Chuckle brother football, from you to me from me to you but in our own half with zero penetration. Why cant we buy a midfielder that looks FORWARD and plays give and goes on the FRONT foot. We only have guys that go side and back. Defensive midfielders.

Back in my box now and hope for better things to come in Europe. We will be up for that at least!

Onwards and upwards 

Am sorry mate but don't dare sit there and have a go at Steven Gerrard. Just simply don't. The lad was the only player today who deserved a pat on the back and didn't give up. I'm not a big Gerrard lover and I certainly don't believe he is "the man" and "the team only plays well when he's in the middle" but today he needs to be defended. He was the only player in the front 6 who actually successfully passed the ball forward all game and made run after run after run. He handed out bollockings and was telling players what to do and they weren't listening to him. IE he was screaming for Sissoko to play Finnan in on the right in the first half so Sissoko ends up trying to give it to Gerrard and loses it. He got a flea in his ear after that and still didn't wake up.

It was a disgraceful performance by the team. The amount of runs Gerrard made and the amount of times he didn't get the ball was rediculous. The amount of times Sissoko, Aurelio, Mascherano Finnan and Kuyt gave the ball away was a joke and ni the end you could just see Gerrard thinking what the am I doing playing with this lot? Even Alonso was at it when he came on. I mean, am not being funny, am a sunday league player, an some of the lads in our team aren't that good like, but hardly any of us let the ball roll under our foot, its probably happened to me twice this season, Sissoko... a proffessional... done it 4 times today.

It was that bad Fowler and Pennant could be considered for our best players today.

[76-1174245250]

After that display today I'm beginning to wonder whether we need somebody on the training staff that specializes in attacking play. It is starting to become obvious that not only are we lacking the playing staff in this department but I also think that this could be the one weakness in Rafa's abilities as a manager.
I seem to remember reading something a couple of years back (possibly Guillem Balague's book - A Season on the Brink) that pointed towards Rafa's teams throughout his career not being big scoring. Admittedly this could be a case of not having the right players available to him or in the case of his early coaching career being at teams lower down the leagues struggling against relegation. However looking back at the stats for his time at Valencia they weren't exactly free-scoring.

Valencia 01/02 Season - 1st with 51 goals scored

Valencia 02/03 Season - 5th with 56 goals scored

Valencia 03/04 Season - 1st with 71 goals scored

As you can see only in his last season did they score a decent amount of goals.
I personally hope that I'm wrong as I do believe that Rafa is probably the est manager in Europe at the moment and I believe that given the resources by the new owners he'll be able to get a squad together that can lift the title, but many more performances in front of goal like what we've had lately and the boo boys and big time whingers will come crawling out of the woodwork.
P.S - I'm NOT one of them. 

Its not about money. Its about signing the best players with the money you have for there positions.

He's wasted money on players that he could have spent on others who are far better.

He's only made three quality signings. Fowler, Alonso and Reina.

Rafa's been here for 6 transfer windows. Why do we still have Riise, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Gerrard and Kewell as part of our best first 11. They aren't his players. He's had the money and the options to strengthen. He's simply gone about it the wrong way and signed the wrong players.

Rafa's signings and team selections are baffling. His tactical play and substituions at times go from sublime, to pathetic.

[JC_81]

Despite all the doom and gloom on the forum tonight, which is understandable, today's result shouldn't have come as a surprise.  We don't score enough goals as a team, simple as that, and we can pick at Benitez's tactics, substitutions, team selections or whatever, but the fact is we don't have good enough attacking players at our disposal - we already knew it, today just highlighted it.

I still maintain though that with the addition of 2 top class players this summer we can challenge for the title next season, I don't think that's unrealistic.  Benitez should have the money to get the players he wants, and with hopefully at least a semi final place in this year's CL we shouldn't have trouble attracting players.  A top striker and a top winger and we'll improve a hell of a lot.  Put Eto'o and Alves in that side and you'd see some difference, those are the two I want in the summer and I don't think they're unrealistic targets either.  No more squad players, we need to be looking at the top end of the market to improve our 1st 11.

[parchpea]

I did not think anyone did enough today and if Gerrard did his job by trying to motivate players then fair enough. I perhaps missed those momements.

Think we will see which direction we are taking in the coming weeks when Benitez meets his new employers. There also a good chance he will have another job offer to bring to the table.

Despite our wonderful acheivemets in Europe and cup competitions which is terrific, we are no closer to the championship that we simply we must win sooner rather than later. Benitez is having a real problem finding solutions and we are no nearer than when he took the job.

[76-1174245250]

Despite all the doom and gloom on the forum tonight, which is understandable, today's result shouldn't have come as a surprise.  We don't score enough goals as a team, simple as that, and we can pick at Benitez's tactics, substitutions, team selections or whatever, but the fact is we don't have good enough attacking players at our disposal - we already knew it, today just highlighted it.

I still maintain though that with the addition of 2 top class players this summer we can challenge for the title next season, I don't think that's unrealistic.  Benitez should have the money to get the players he wants, and with hopefully at least a semi final place in this year's CL we shouldn't have trouble attracting players.  A top striker and a top winger and we'll improve a hell of a lot.  Put Eto'o and Alves in that side and you'd see some difference, those are the two I want in the summer and I don't think they're unrealistic targets either.  No more squad players, we need to be looking at the top end of the market to improve our 1st 11.

You're living in a dream world John.

We need 5 top class players. Not two.

[76-1174245250]

Despite all the doom and gloom on the forum tonight, which is understandable, today's result shouldn't have come as a surprise.  We don't score enough goals as a team, simple as that, and we can pick at Benitez's tactics, substitutions, team selections or whatever, but the fact is we don't have good enough attacking players at our disposal - we already knew it, today just highlighted it.

I still maintain though that with the addition of 2 top class players this summer we can challenge for the title next season, I don't think that's unrealistic.  Benitez should have the money to get the players he wants, and with hopefully at least a semi final place in this year's CL we shouldn't have trouble attracting players.  A top striker and a top winger and we'll improve a hell of a lot.  Put Eto'o and Alves in that side and you'd see some difference, those are the two I want in the summer and I don't think they're unrealistic targets either.  No more squad players, we need to be looking at the top end of the market to improve our 1st 11.

To add to that. Alves is a right back. Not a winger.

We absoloutely NEED without question a centre half, two centre forwards and a left winger. We won't win the league until those postions are sorted. Had Kewell been fit and Fowler played this season you could have got away with a striker, centre half and maybe a full back. But Benitez this season up goodstyle and has no-one to blame but himself.

The signing of Voronin aswell is a complete joke.

[JC_81]

He's only made three quality signings. Fowler, Alonso and Reina.

Rafa's been here for 6 transfer windows. Why do we still have Riise, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Gerrard and Kewell as part of our best first 11. They aren't his players. He's had the money and the options to strengthen. He's simply gone about it the wrong way and signed the wrong players..

So are you actually trying to say that Carra and Gerrard should have been replaced by Benitez simply because they were at the club already and that Benitez's team should be made up purely of players that only he has bought??

I think it's you that's living in a dreamworld mate

[76-1174245250]

He's only made three quality signings. Fowler, Alonso and Reina.

Rafa's been here for 6 transfer windows. Why do we still have Riise, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Gerrard and Kewell as part of our best first 11. They aren't his players. He's had the money and the options to strengthen. He's simply gone about it the wrong way and signed the wrong players..

So are you actually trying to say that Carra and Gerrard should have been replaced by Benitez simply because they were at the club already and that Benitez's team should be made up purely of players that only he has bought??

I think it's you that's living in a dreamworld mate

No I'm not saying they should have been replaced. What I am saying is that seven players who played under Houllier are still in the best starting 11 we can put out on the pitch. 8 if you want to include Fowler (although a Benitez signing).

My point is clear. He hasn't greatly improved the personel which is the exact reason we are where we are. The players we have aren't upto it. We are as i said 5-6 top class players away from being a great side. Maybe on 4 class players we can scrape the league.

[JC_81]

To add to that. Alves is a right back. Not a winger.

We absoloutely NEED without question a centre half

You've obviously never watched Alves play.  He's a winger played at full back.

And why the fook do we absolutely need without question a centre half?  We've had the tightest defence in the premiership this year and I'd certainly not be wasting our budget on that area when it's absolutely without question obvious that our problem is scoring goals not conceding them.