Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

First of all can I say that we played some really good stuff at times on Saturday and fully deserved the victory. At times in the first half I was thinking "oh god, not Deportivo all over again", as chance after chance went begging. It made me reflect on how our goals have been scored this season.

The past few games has shown that we are relying heavily on long range efforts while rarely getting goals from inside the box. While we struggled to hit the back of the net yesterday we ended up waiting for a moment (or two) of magic to give us the much needed break through.

I'm delighted that we are finally showing some class from long range after a barren spell in the past couple of seasons, but it also brings to light the fact that we now lack a real poacher, a real box player ala Fowler, Owen or Rush. Someone who lurks around to pounce on spilled shots.

Baros and Cisse I think personally are coming along ok individually, and hopefully eventually they will prove a good trio with Garcia, I just worry about the games against the top clubs when you really need to take the chances that come your way.

In the first half yesterday we created about 8 chances, at least two or three of these should have been converted, we saw against Deportivo the other night that the creative side isn't too bad its just the converting that's lacking. On another day Baros could, and maybe should, have had a hatrick.

Ok we can get away with it against the likes of Charlton, West Brom, Norwich etc, but when we play the likes of Arsenal at home, we have to be more clinical infront of goal.

Discuss.

[dawson99]

we are missing that poaching style player, maybe somenoe like the young lad from real madrid, hed be perfect for us now...hehe

Mista will be good in that role, or morientes, or even saviola.

I like how we are no longer playing the boring square ball, we are a lot mroe attacking now. The wing backs are playing as wing backs and not left/right backs which is always good for the club and benitez has got more out of djimi in 2 games than houllier did in 3 years.

We just need that final killer touch, because, st mick is right, without it we are gonna struggle against some of the quality we'll be facing soon

[LFC #1]

do u mean chance conversion, discuss.

no anyway, I mentioned this the other day, the top teams are not gonna give you 8 chances in a half, a couple perhaps. Leon mentioned this in another thread, we need "a fox in the box" or a poacher. Owen was this player to some extent and without him we don't really have a player who is in th right position at the right time to slot home the chances in the 6 yard box, perhaps Mista could be this player.

Baros and Cisse are good strikers no question and Pongolle is a good up and coming player, but to be a top team you need 4 strikers in my opinion and I think Rafa will rectify this situation this january.

[jonnymac1979]

Who's the best poacher around now who we could afford?

[LFC #1]

hard one jonnymac, there isn't many who are say in the as much as i hate to say it RVN class. Kezman did it well at PSV, but hasn't done it yet at Chelsea, as i say Mista could be the man.

[dawson99]

if we can get mista for 1 mill as has been said then i dont see how we can lose

[LFC #1]

we could get Mista on a free, I think his contract expires in Januray or something.

[LFC #1]

it was mentioned in another thread a few days ago where Danny Murphy was interviewed and accidenttaly let out whn Liverpool get the two players in January, so I think Rafa has already done a couple of deals, Mista or perhaps Morientes could be on their way.

[stmichael]

i still think morientes would be too expensive.

[LFC #1]

could well be, Mista is a mcuh more realistic target, although their is that riff with Valencia and Rafa, whcih may mean Rafa doesn't want to sign any Valencia players. However if Mista's contract runs out then he wouldn't be a Valencia player anymore, so their would be no problem.

[stmichael]

i think it's pretty much nailed on that mista will be joining in january. i mean he's not playing at valencia because ranieiri prefers di vaio. mista recently turned down a contract extension which he described as "laughable". he's definitely holding out and looks to be the sort of player we need. he does all his damage in the penalty area.

[LFC #1]

will be a good signing for sure, the kind of player we need, as u say does the damage in the penalty area.
The current situation at Valencia signifys to me that he will be at Anfield in January.

[Redtribe]

Personally i think Mista maybe the better option out of the two mentioned in this thread, although he is the lesser profile player out of the two!
He scored alot of goals for Benitez @ Valencia, so Rafa knows how to work with him and how to get goals from him!
Also it seems as though he is desperate to play for Rafa which is obviously a good thing as he will do an awful lot of work for his manager!
Buisness wise he will be available for a free, demand less wages then Morientes and he is younger.
As people have been saying Morientes is not a prolific scorer of goals so maybe Mista would be the wiser choice!!!!

[LFC #1]

true redtribe, I think Mista may be the sort of player we wnat and free is a lot less a strain on the budget than what morientes might cost.

[stmichael]

Given the uncertainty over various bids to invest in the club, it's possible that even Rafa doesn't know how much money he's got to spend in January. I'd guess that he'll be given a decent amount of money to spend, but he won't be spending 20m on one player.