Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

Fernando Torres or Michael Owen in the Summer. We cannot accept any less at the moment.

we couldn't afford fernando torres in a million years

[Paul C]

Fernando Torres or Michael Owen in the Summer. We cannot accept any less at the moment.

we couldn't afford fernando torres in a million years

Sabre says that he's overrated and if I remember correctly that David Villa is the man in Espania 

[bigmick]

There is no question that massive improvements have been made, and those who worry that we are slipping back into the abyss we were left in by Houllier are over reacting in my view. Unfortunately, the dreadful form of our strikers and Rafa's baffling insistence in playing Morientes has spread anxiety through the ranks and the belief and confidence we had built up has gradually trickled away.
You can't win every game 1-0 and at some point the defence was going to make a couple of mistakes. Jamie Carragher is a human being and sometimes not perfect, and Sami Hyppia can't play 100 games in a season. What happened against Benfica was an accident long overdue and at some time before now and the end of the season, a calm appraisal will be needed on the personel.
Football teams must score goals to win matches. Strikers must score goals, none of this "he links the play" sh!te for me. Clearly Morientes must go, the lad has been an absolute disaster to be fair and his form is so bad I even feel a bit sorry for him. The end of the season and a return back to the sunshine and a low-ranking club in La Liga to drift into retirement beckons.
Cisse too is a poor player. FWIW I'd stick him in up top till the end of the season purely on the grounds that if we do I think he'll score a few goals. His link up play will be rubbish, his awareness non-existent, his attitude a disgrace but at least he will score a couple of goals. If anybody offers us more than 5 million quid I'd rip their arm off at the elbow. He was a disasterous signing.

More controversially, I think we need to turn the spotlight onto one or two others. Crouch I think has been a good buy. He has been massively instrumental in the improvement in our league form, particularly away from home. His form of late though is not good enough. His goal return is way too low, his chance conversion rate not good enough and his general play has lacked conviction and aggression. I would sit hi down and tell him that as a learning season he has done OK, but he needs to do a whole lot more. I'd accept he's not had the best of luck infront of goal but he needs to do a whole lot better. His ridiculous dive against Benfica was indicative of a fella that thinks he's made it. Maybe a trip to a half-full Loftus Road is in order on a cold Saturday afternoon. "Remember when you used to play here Pete?". Well pull yer finger out of your erse son or you'll be back.
Garcia is one of my favourite players, a fantastic talent. I don't know where he is injury wise or in his head but he has been terrible these last few months. His performance against Benfica home and away was a disgrace. Where are we at Luis, are you gonna feck off back to the sunshine or do you really, really want to play for Liverpool? It's time to show it son.
It's time I think. We're at the crossroads, on the cusp of something special. The train is leaving the station and it's time to kick the freeloaders and non fare payers off. The journey may be a rocky one so it'a also time to find out who's really got the stomach for the turbulance, who really wants it. It's also time to buy a striker or two. Is there any chance that this time we can buy somebody who can score a goal every now and then?

[Ciggy]

There is no question that massive improvements have been made, and those who worry that we are slipping back into the abyss we were left in by Houllier are over reacting in my view. Unfortunately, the dreadful form of our strikers and Rafa's baffling insistence in playing Morientes has spread anxiety through the ranks and the belief and confidence we had built up has gradually trickled away.
You can't win every game 1-0 and at some point the defence was going to make a couple of mistakes. Jamie Carragher is a human being and sometimes not perfect, and Sami Hyppia can't play 100 games in a season. What happened against Benfica was an accident long overdue and at some time before now and the end of the season, a calm appraisal will be needed on the personel.
Football teams must score goals to win matches. Strikers must score goals, none of this "he links the play" sh!te for me. Clearly Morientes must go, the lad has been an absolute disaster to be fair and his form is so bad I even feel a bit sorry for him. The end of the season and a return back to the sunshine and a low-ranking club in La Liga to drift into retirement beckons.
Cisse too is a poor player. FWIW I'd stick him in up top till the end of the season purely on the grounds that if we do I think he'll score a few goals. His link up play will be rubbish, his awareness non-existent, his attitude a disgrace but at least he will score a couple of goals. If anybody offers us more than 5 million quid I'd rip their arm off at the elbow. He was a disasterous signing.

More controversially, I think we need to turn the spotlight onto one or two others. Crouch I think has been a good buy. He has been massively instrumental in the improvement in our league form, particularly away from home. His form of late though is not good enough. His goal return is way too low, his chance conversion rate not good enough and his general play has lacked conviction and aggression. I would sit hi down and tell him that as a learning season he has done OK, but he needs to do a whole lot more. I'd accept he's not had the best of luck infront of goal but he needs to do a whole lot better. His ridiculous dive against Benfica was indicative of a fella that thinks he's made it. Maybe a trip to a half-full Loftus Road is in order on a cold Saturday afternoon. "Remember when you used to play here Pete?". Well pull yer finger out of your erse son or you'll be back.
Garcia is one of my favourite players, a fantastic talent. I don't know where he is injury wise or in his head but he has been terrible these last few months. His performance against Benfica home and away was a disgrace. Where are we at Luis, are you gonna feck off back to the sunshine or do you really, really want to play for Liverpool? It's time to show it son.
It's time I think. We're at the crossroads, on the cusp of something special. The train is leaving the station and it's time to kick the freeloaders and non fare payers off. The journey may be a rocky one so it'a also time to find out who's really got the stomach for the turbulance, who really wants it. It's also time to buy a striker or two. Is there any chance that this time we can buy somebody who can score a goal every now and then?

Bravo best post of the week 

[JBG]

There is no question that massive improvements have been made, and those who worry that we are slipping back into the abyss we were left in by Houllier are over reacting in my view. Unfortunately, the dreadful form of our strikers and Rafa's baffling insistence in playing Morientes has spread anxiety through the ranks and the belief and confidence we had built up has gradually trickled away.
You can't win every game 1-0 and at some point the defence was going to make a couple of mistakes. Jamie Carragher is a human being and sometimes not perfect, and Sami Hyppia can't play 100 games in a season. What happened against Benfica was an accident long overdue and at some time before now and the end of the season, a calm appraisal will be needed on the personel.
Football teams must score goals to win matches. Strikers must score goals, none of this "he links the play" sh!te for me. Clearly Morientes must go, the lad has been an absolute disaster to be fair and his form is so bad I even feel a bit sorry for him. The end of the season and a return back to the sunshine and a low-ranking club in La Liga to drift into retirement beckons.
Cisse too is a poor player. FWIW I'd stick him in up top till the end of the season purely on the grounds that if we do I think he'll score a few goals. His link up play will be rubbish, his awareness non-existent, his attitude a disgrace but at least he will score a couple of goals. If anybody offers us more than 5 million quid I'd rip their arm off at the elbow. He was a disasterous signing.

More controversially, I think we need to turn the spotlight onto one or two others. Crouch I think has been a good buy. He has been massively instrumental in the improvement in our league form, particularly away from home. His form of late though is not good enough. His goal return is way too low, his chance conversion rate not good enough and his general play has lacked conviction and aggression. I would sit hi down and tell him that as a learning season he has done OK, but he needs to do a whole lot more. I'd accept he's not had the best of luck infront of goal but he needs to do a whole lot better. His ridiculous dive against Benfica was indicative of a fella that thinks he's made it. Maybe a trip to a half-full Loftus Road is in order on a cold Saturday afternoon. "Remember when you used to play here Pete?". Well pull yer finger out of your erse son or you'll be back.
Garcia is one of my favourite players, a fantastic talent. I don't know where he is injury wise or in his head but he has been terrible these last few months. His performance against Benfica home and away was a disgrace. Where are we at Luis, are you gonna feck off back to the sunshine or do you really, really want to play for Liverpool? It's time to show it son.
It's time I think. We're at the crossroads, on the cusp of something special. The train is leaving the station and it's time to kick the freeloaders and non fare payers off. The journey may be a rocky one so it'a also time to find out who's really got the stomach for the turbulance, who really wants it. It's also time to buy a striker or two. Is there any chance that this time we can buy somebody who can score a goal every now and then?

Good post yet again Mick, one of the few people here whose posts I bother my hairy backside reading these days.

As usual very good, but as usual I disagree in part.

I admit defeat in my arguement with you in relation to Morientes Mick, and if I ever make it down Wimbledon way I'll nip in to your pub and buy you a pint. You called Morientes very early last year - it was only after a few games that you raised your doubts about him if I recall - and I admit now that I cannot see anyway back for Nando.

I'd love for Morientes to come good but he's getting on in years and at this stage, if he was to start producing the goods, it would be a comeback on the scale of Nando's Bobby Ewing appearing in Rafa's shower.  He might yet hit a mini purple patch, but if he does, I suspect that it will be like Bruno Cheyrou coming from left of field two years ago before exiting stage left just as quickly and as suddenly as he appeared.

Cisse is a woeful footballer. Dawson has a point in that he hasn't been played in his favourite position, and I think if he is put back up front he will score goals, but overall the team would suffer, in that his link up play would be awful and we'd suffer similar problems that we had last year with Baros.

If he was a good footballer even if he was played out of position his class should occasionally shine through. Many forward players have been played out of position on the right - Sylvian Wiltord, Thierry Henry, Ole Gunnar Solsjaere - and while they were never as good out there, they did a decent job. Watch Cisse when he's out wide. He'll run to the sideline regardless of where the full back is, and when he gets there, he can't clear his man with a cross. Thats woeful football if you ask me.

I disagree with Mick over Garcia who for me is only a novelty player and not my cup of tea at all.

Its true he scored some really important goals for us and as an impact sub, I think he would be quite useful. However, I don't rate him at all as a player in the top bracket and I don't buy the line from his supporters about his intelligent running. Whats the point in making intelligent runs in dangerous areas when you start faffing about with the ball when it comes to you?

I think Rafa sees this as well and in the long term Garcia will (hopefully) be replaced by a Premiership variant of Pablo Aimar. Luis should always have a role as a squad member but he isn't a consistent top bracket player.

[dawson99]

garcia is not a novelty player, ehs a flair player. i for one think hes been a good addition as it stopped some of our boring play. When hes on form hes genius as was shown when he made last seasons champions league uefa team of the year.when hes bad he is a liabilty but at least hes interesting.

JBG, yo are right about cisse in a way, but id rather have a liability that scores than a non liability who cant hit a barn door with a baseball (or however the saying goes) as simply as i can think cisse should play up front as he has better chance of scoring. To call Cisse woeful is bizarre. he obviously has skill as we have seen in the past and when he plays for france but he just doesnt suit our style of play.

someone said we play too much to crouchs stretghs, and this is true as we are just lobbing the ballt o him. Who cares how good his set up play is if theres no one to score the goals.

we are in a weird situation and we all know what we need to do but all disgree on how to do it

[Ciggy]

than a non liability who cant hit a barn door with a baseball (or however the saying goes)

The saying goes something like this 

[JC_81]

There is no question that massive improvements have been made, and those who worry that we are slipping back into the abyss we were left in by Houllier are over reacting in my view. Unfortunately, the dreadful form of our strikers and Rafa's baffling insistence in playing Morientes has spread anxiety through the ranks and the belief and confidence we had built up has gradually trickled away.
You can't win every game 1-0 and at some point the defence was going to make a couple of mistakes. Jamie Carragher is a human being and sometimes not perfect, and Sami Hyppia can't play 100 games in a season. What happened against Benfica was an accident long overdue and at some time before now and the end of the season, a calm appraisal will be needed on the personel.
Football teams must score goals to win matches. Strikers must score goals, none of this "he links the play" sh!te for me. Clearly Morientes must go, the lad has been an absolute disaster to be fair and his form is so bad I even feel a bit sorry for him. The end of the season and a return back to the sunshine and a low-ranking club in La Liga to drift into retirement beckons.
Cisse too is a poor player. FWIW I'd stick him in up top till the end of the season purely on the grounds that if we do I think he'll score a few goals. His link up play will be rubbish, his awareness non-existent, his attitude a disgrace but at least he will score a couple of goals. If anybody offers us more than 5 million quid I'd rip their arm off at the elbow. He was a disasterous signing.

More controversially, I think we need to turn the spotlight onto one or two others. Crouch I think has been a good buy. He has been massively instrumental in the improvement in our league form, particularly away from home. His form of late though is not good enough. His goal return is way too low, his chance conversion rate not good enough and his general play has lacked conviction and aggression. I would sit hi down and tell him that as a learning season he has done OK, but he needs to do a whole lot more. I'd accept he's not had the best of luck infront of goal but he needs to do a whole lot better. His ridiculous dive against Benfica was indicative of a fella that thinks he's made it. Maybe a trip to a half-full Loftus Road is in order on a cold Saturday afternoon. "Remember when you used to play here Pete?". Well pull yer finger out of your erse son or you'll be back.
Garcia is one of my favourite players, a fantastic talent. I don't know where he is injury wise or in his head but he has been terrible these last few months. His performance against Benfica home and away was a disgrace. Where are we at Luis, are you gonna feck off back to the sunshine or do you really, really want to play for Liverpool? It's time to show it son.
It's time I think. We're at the crossroads, on the cusp of something special. The train is leaving the station and it's time to kick the freeloaders and non fare payers off. The journey may be a rocky one so it'a also time to find out who's really got the stomach for the turbulance, who really wants it. It's also time to buy a striker or two. Is there any chance that this time we can buy somebody who can score a goal every now and then?

Great post.

Called it right with both Garcia and Cisse there.  Garcia is one of my favourite players and probably our most exciting player when he's on song.  But he's had a very poor season compared with last year and needs to pull his finger out of his hole big time.  I don't think for a minute that Benitez will get rid of him in the summer but at the moment he doesn't merit a starting place.

Cisse in contrast is probably the player at the club I like least, for his attitude and his non-existent football intelligence.  But I agree here that he could be our best bet for a goal at the moment.  Crouch is badly out of sorts just now, his link-up play's not even right at the moment let alone his finishing.  He's been a very good buy imo but our lack of a predator in the box has made him less effective.  Crouch needs 'rested' for a few games and Morientes has had enough chances (you certainly called Morientes right before anyone else on here mick).  For me it has to be Fowler and Cisse against Arsenal.

[JBG]

I'm at a loss in why people rate Luis so highly.

He is one of the strangest players I have ever seen.

I have never seen a guy make such great runs, excellently control the ball with his first touch before inexplicably give the ball away with his second touch. For me he would be a very useful impact sub, but he's not on my Liverpool team sheet if all players are fit.

Cisse is a woeful player who will never make it at the top level. I know he's been played out of position but he makes mistakes and is guilty of bad play when he is out wide that simply cannot be excused by the fact that he's played out of position.

I say we give him a shot up front, but people need to understand that a player who scores you 5 goals over the space of 10-12 matches could assist in conceding 10.

[JC_81]

I'm at a loss in why people rate Luis so highly.

He is one of the strangest players I have ever seen.

I have never seen a guy make such great runs, excellently control the ball with his first touch before inexplicably give the ball away with his second touch. For me he would be a very useful impact sub, but he's not on my Liverpool team sheet if all players are fit.

Cisse is a woeful player who will never make it at the top level. I know he's been played out of position but he makes mistakes and is guilty of bad play when he is out wide that simply cannot be excused by the fact that he's played out of position.

I say we give him a shot up front, but people need to understand that a player who scores you 5 goals over the space of 10-12 matches could assist in conceding 10.

I rate Luis so highly because he has one special attribute that a lot of players in our squad don't - he is a big game player (granted he didn't show it in the Benfica matches).  He was one of, if not the, most inflential players for us in winning the Champions league last season.

His unpredictability is frustrating, but up until recently his goal threat always outweighed his other flaws when it came to team selection imo.  At the moment he's woefully out of form and I wouldn't play him.  In the Benfica matches his finishing was as bad as his passing, but some people have very short memories when it comes to Garcia (not aimed specifically at yourself JBG).  As recently as the Arsenal game a few weeks ago an out-of-form and half-fit Garcia still managed to win us a 6-pointer game. 

You could be onto something when you describe him as an impact sub, maybe that's what Benitez has in mind for him longer-term.  Clearly Benitez's preferred system involves wingers (which Garcia is not).  Garcia was undoubtedly bought to play in the 'Aimar' role in Benitez's preferred system, but since it's become clear we need to play with 2 forwards in the prem, Garcia becomes more difficult to fit into the starting 11.

[i_luv_bfl]

I would be tempted to put in a cheaky bid for Evertons Van der meyde. they could do without him on their wage structure and when hes fit hes a world class player!Also get rid of morientes and crouch. both . Im also starting to hate Rafa. No passion, no commitment hope he goes to Madrid. Was better under Houllier

[Ciggy]

I would be tempted to put in a cheaky bid for Evertons Van der meyde. they could do without him on their wage structure and when hes fit hes a world class player!Also get rid of morientes and crouch. both . Im also starting to hate Rafa. No passion, no commitment hope he goes to Madrid. Was better under Houllier

Another blue nose WUM

[i_luv_bfl]

I would be tempted to put in a cheaky bid for Evertons Van der meyde. they could do without him on their wage structure and when hes fit hes a world class player!Also get rid of morientes and crouch. both . Im also starting to hate Rafa. No passion, no commitment hope he goes to Madrid. Was better under Houllier

Another blue nose WUM

Wtf? Just because i can admire an everton player? You arrogant p r i c k

[Paul C]

I would be tempted to put in a cheaky bid for Evertons Van der meyde. they could do without him on their wage structure and when hes fit hes a world class player!Also get rid of morientes and crouch. both . Im also starting to hate Rafa. No passion, no commitment hope he goes to Madrid. Was better under Houllier

Van Der Meyde is a good player but very injury prone. 

[i_luv_bfl]

I would be tempted to put in a cheaky bid for Evertons Van der meyde. they could do without him on their wage structure and when hes fit hes a world class player!Also get rid of morientes and crouch. both . Im also starting to hate Rafa. No passion, no commitment hope he goes to Madrid. Was better under Houllier

Van Der Meyde is a good player but very injury prone. 

Thats why i said it lol