Liverpool FC Forum

[Dundalk]

We are doing better in the league then I expected and have a goog chance of finishing second, the standard of the league is low though IMO. Arsenal have been a disaster and Man Ure have not been themselves this year.

Its nice to think that without a load of Russian money being thrown at Chelsea, we would have a good chance of winning the league this year, but we are rapidly catching up with them.

The cups? Well for a while we didnt even know if we would be in the Champions League this season but now that we are I think we have a good chance of winning it again, as do about another 5 or 6 teams though. With a kind draw in the next round you never know! We certinaly shouldnt be afraid of anyone.

I would love to win the FA cup this season, even more so now that we have got Man Ure in the next round. If we get past them then are only other worry are Chelski and I think that they are more worried about us then we are them!

All in all Im very happy about how the season is going, maybe if Robbie starts knocking them in and we start finishing off teams then Ill be even happier!

Thank you Rafa...   

[Irish_Red]

to be honest all i wanted this season was for the buzz of istanbul to keep going ! i v got what i wanted ! liverpool are stil in the fa, champions league( manure are out) we still have a chance of winning the title and robbie fowler is home.......
i am realistic, i do think that we will win the Champions league again this year tho.
i think european teams are scared of us ,  benitez has such a rep around europe and spain------- if barcelona beat chelsea and real beat arsenal , benitez will know these teams inside - he knew how to beat them in spain....
with fowler back - hopefully when fit i can see him scoring goals in europe for us ( he is eligible isnt he? ??! i hope so )
i posted a comment saying i was fed up of mori not scoring but after reading a few posts from the senior members in the forum concerning a fowler and mori partnership - it might just work with gerrard bursting through the middle...
the future looks great for liverpool ,,,,, i am delighted -  liverpool were great when i was a baby , not so great under Roy evans or GH even ( still good)

salud !!!! cheers
liverpool fc forver!!

[Dundalk]

Yeah Fowler can play in europe

[Irish_Red]

cool thanks man! thats  nuacht- an mháith!

[redmikey]

All i wanted was for the team to stop dropping points at silly games because consistency is required to win any trouphy. rafa has learnt alot about the prem and english football and the surpise signing of crouch is allowing the team to utilise SG.

alot like chelski we are now a hard team to beat home or away which is why we will finish a good solid second and maybe semis or fianlists in europe oh and the fa cup would be nice as we have been poor in the fa cup the last couple of years.

With rafa at the helm and abit more fiancial support i think we will be a serious test for chelski next season , the stadium situation needs to get sorted so we can compete at all levels ( and it would be nice for my season ticket chance) We are going to need a rm and a striker but rafa knows this and wont be rushed to buy the wrong player or get bent over on the price tag, with some of the young players rafa has bought the future looks rosy

[Dundalk]

cool thanks man! thats  nuacht- an mháith!

Nuacht an mhaith! Good man Hector!   

[banana]

Good post Stu. I'd give you a 7 for this. I can only think of one time where we have had a total agreement before, and that was Benitez getting the manager job for Liverpool. I remember with dread all the guys in here wanting us to sign Curbishley or O'Neill. Benitez was the one and both you and me knew. Now I think we have reached another common ground. Anelka. He is the one for us right now.

[115-1073096938]

Good post Stu. I'd give you a 7 for this. I can only think of one time where we have had a total agreement before, and that was Benitez getting the manager job for Liverpool. I remember with dread all the guys in here wanting us to sign Curbishley or O'Neill. Benitez was the one and both you and me knew. Now I think we have reached another common ground. Anelka. He is the one for us right now.

If we don't sign Anelka i won't lose any sleep. However people have to ask would he give us more than Morientes and Cisse? For a maximum of 8million i think he's worth the "gamble". Worst case scenario he has a sulk and we sell him for 5million a couple of seasons later, best he lives upto his potential and shows everyone he's not the sulk he's got the reputation for being and sets the league alight.

[woof woof !]

Don't want this "expectations" thread to drift into a "who should we sign thread" but on the subject of Anelka , as much as I rate him I'd hold fire , Owen could be available come the summer after Newcastle sink to relegation .    

[zarababe]

What were they?

Personally i expected a top four finish a good cup run but still inconsistency running throughout the team.

From the signings made in the summer, Reina to me was a curious one. I knew we needed a keeper, i didn't think he was the answer. I still am not 100% convinced by him for some reason, he seems to make crucial mistakes at crucial times. Yes he pulls off fantastic saves and yes he commands his box (something Dudek failed to do) and yes, he's even consistent, but the mistakes remain. The one's against Birmingham and Bolton stand out. The good thing is he doesn't let the mistakes bother him, its water off a ducks back.

My expectations were a top 3 finish, and somewhere I have siad that before that start of the season, and a good defense of teh CL, which we look on coiurse for on both fronts...

Can't agree with your comments re: Reina,  our strong defensive displays have been inspired by a confident goalkeepr, who instills confidence in the back 4, I suppose you could say it works both ways, but if you know that 9/10 times your GK will make the right decisions (to come for a cross etc), it makes that side of the game stronger. His displays have contributed to the solidity we have now at the back.. although of course the fanstatic displays of the back 4 +1 must be credited as a unit aka senors Hypia Carra, finnan and a.nother

All GKs make mistakes and we have to accept that, but I would go as far as to say that his arrival has no doubt contributed to the points hall by at least 10 pts,  where we have won by the odd goal.. I'm no statistician, but someone somewhere can work it out.

I now fully expect us to fiinish 2nd and be closer to Chelski by the end.. and well next year ..here we come 

.. and one special mention for the man whose vision and game plan for this club is delivering such happiness and realistic optimism Rafael Benitez...    RESPECT, in the season his father died, the man has continued to show such dedication and leadership, at no-doubt a difficult time for him personally ...

[Morth]

.. and one special mention for the man whose vision and game plan for this club is delivering such happiness and realistic optimism Rafael Benitez...    RESPECT, in the season his father died, the man has continued to show such dedication and leadership, at no-doubt a difficult time for him personally ...

I don't think there's a manager in the game who decidates as much time to his team as Benitez.  Despite not being a scouser, heck, not even English, it's obvious that he's completely devoted to the club.  I remember when he was in Japan when he learnt his father had died.  When he announced he would not be going to his father's funeral to scout out the opposition in a relatively unimportant competition, I actually thought he might be too devoted to the club.

The man is already a legend, I'll happily sit tight while he manages our club the next few decades.

[A.B.]

My expectations:

• Top 3 Finish
• Reach quarterfinals in Champions League
• Reach last 16 in FA Cup

Reina - What keeper doesn't make a blunder? What's important is that this keeper has installed confidence in the back four and that a mistake doesn't affect his confidence like it did with Dudek,Kirkland and Westerweld.[sp]

Sissoko - started off really well in the Premiership and has had bad performances here and there, he's a diamond in the rough but he's still only 20 years old.

Zenden - didn't play all that well in the begining but in the last couple of games prior to his injury he livened up. He'll have a better chance to prove himself next season

Crouch - is simply one of the many reasons why we've done better in the league. He's been doing the same things all season but the way it's made an impact is that the players have learned how to play with him. In the begining of the season the others had a difficulty of doing that

[115-1073096938]

Zenden - didn't play all that well in the begining but in the last couple of games prior to his injury he livened up. He'll have a better chance to prove himself next season

Crouch - is simply one of the many reasons why we've done better in the league. He's been doing the same things all season but the way it's made an impact is that the players have learned how to play with him. In the begining of the season the others had a difficulty of doing that

About Zenden, i hope you're wrong about him getting a chance next season as i think Kewell can make himself undroppable, especially if he improves on the Birmingham performance and keeps the consistency he's built up.

You're spot on with Crouch.

[A.B.]

Zenden - didn't play all that well in the begining but in the last couple of games prior to his injury he livened up. He'll have a better chance to prove himself next season

Crouch - is simply one of the many reasons why we've done better in the league. He's been doing the same things all season but the way it's made an impact is that the players have learned how to play with him. In the begining of the season the others had a difficulty of doing that

About Zenden, i hope you're wrong about him getting a chance next season as i think Kewell can make himself undroppable, especially if he improves on the Birmingham performance and keeps the consistency he's built up.

You're spot on with Crouch.

Kewell has done very well in the last month or so *touch wood*, so yes it would be difficult for Zenden to get a look in. But Benitez will rotate when he needs to and if there is an injury then that would be the chance for Zenden to prove himself.

[115-1073096938]

A.B. Kewell's played well since he came back. The change in him has been immense, when we first signed him he looked very lively but was ineffective, i think now he's playing his best games for Liverpool, even when he hasn't played really well recently, the efforts been there, he's defended and chipped in, the other day in a very average performance i thought he was very very good.

I don't like to use the term the old Kewell, players adapt his games reached his maximum level now though and he's regained some of that pace, he looks a threat again and some of his crosses have been excellent.

Hopefully he'll continue this form throughout the rest of his career at the club.