Liverpool FC Forum

[115-1073096938]

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.

Zenden, well, to be fair he's done well when he's played. Shame he got injured when he did. I think he was brought in a squad player and he hasn't let anyone down, he got injured just as he hit some form.

Sissoko has contributed really well this season. The lads not ready on a permanent basis and we should really look for a better player either on the right or in middle however the lad has done well and has potential, i'm more than happy with his contribution so far. Do i think he'll ever be able to displace Gerrard or Alonso? No, do i think he's able back up and will give us options, definately.

Upfront we signed Crouch, for me Ashton was the player he should have gone for as he offers more or less similar ability to link up with players, has more strength and is more of a goal threat alround. However, Crouch is a good player and always has been. He has good ability and links up very well will those around him. I was shocked when we signed him as i couldn't see how he'd fit into this side. For me the lad gets the best out of Gerrard and Luis Garcia the way he brings others into play, he's going through another bad patch at the minute but he's contributed superbly this season. He's also developed a high level of off the ball work which i think is essential to being a success at this club.

So at the start of the season, we'd signed a goalkeeper which we needed, however was he the right one, on the evidence so far the answer is yes. We didn't sign a centre half however, which left us without options untill January. This was a blessing in diguise as Sami and Jamie have been outstanding in 95% of the games we've played along with Riise and Finnan. At the end of last year i said there wasn't alot wrong with that defence if Traore didn't play and we got a better keeper, the amount of goals conceeded and clean sheets this season backs that up.

We also failed to sign a right midfielder yet signed a central one. This puzzled me somewhat, however it looks a good move. The midfield has controlled games, won battles, kept possession and generally been outstanding all season. Harry Kewell has improved immensely and has now won another chance in my book. His form lately (even against Birmingham) has really improved and he's running at players, crossing, passing and even working hard. I feel we're one midfielder away from being able to really dominated every team in the country including Chelsea.

Upfront, Crouch has given us great options, as i said before bringing the best out of certain players and his ability to help the team keep the ball is also excellent. However its this area that causes the most concern. Crouch will not score 20 goals a season, however he will contribute alot for the good of the team. Morientes keeps failing to produce, only on occassions have we seen 75% of what he's capable of. Its a strange one as he's got tremendous ability in alot of area's, he should score a few more goals and have more man of the match awards. Cisse for me is a waste of time and i refuse to discuss him and Sinama-Pongolle, quite curiously, has never had the chance to shine and i genuinely believe he'd do well given that chance.

The signing of Robbie Fowler will boost the ability of the side to score goals however he won't offer us pace. He'll give us ability to link up with players, skill and finishing prowess, but I think when we sign that right sided midfielder thats got to be something that comes into the equation. First and foremost they must be a footballer, but someone who can be an outlet for the side when defending deep is essential in my opinion.

Defensively we're rock solid now. I'm happy with that area of the team, Carragher, Hyypia and Agger should be more than capable of covering the centre half positions, Riise and Finnan are solid fullbacks. Hopefully Kromkamp and Warnock will prove sufficient backup.

In midfield we still lack that right sided player once we have that with Gerrard, Sissoko, Alonso, Hamann, Kewell and Zenden we have that area more than covered.

Upfront i think we need a rethink. Crouch and Fowler to stay, i think once Robbie gets fit he'll score plenty. Sinama-Pongolle, a decision one way or the other and i would now probably give up on Morientes and Sissy as i personally have lost faith. Sissy never had it, Morientes looks to be past his best, over the summer i wouldn't mind seeing Anelka but thats unlikely.

My expectations for next season are of a two horse title race between Liverpool and Chelsea, this season, i think we'll finish third.

In summary, we're getting there, we aren't far away, it all needs tweaking, players need to get fit but i think that 10 game run without conceeding a goal is a hint of whats around the corner.

Your opinions?

[dawson99]

great post (as ever) mate lol

my expectations at the start of the season were like most i think. i wanted top 4 finish, but thought 2 or 3 would not be out of this world, and i wanted to close the gap on the cheatski.

the one thing i did want was more goals. this is just my old fashioned view that ive got. i liek strikers strike, and midfielders to provide.

im more than happy with our midfield tho, and our defence, its just the strikers, and that includes crouch. i appreciate what he can do for the team, but i just wanna see mroe goals. im selfish like that.

all in all tho ive been pleasently happy with our performance. we are making forward steps so all in all im a happy kopper

[woof woof !]

At the start of the season I think I was hoping to at least see us get into the last eight in the CL and at the same time fretting that we might again struggle in the race for a top four finish in the prem ,with severe pressure from Spurs, Bolton and Newcastle (:laugh:    ), I did assume that Chelsea ,ManU and Arsenal would comfortably make it  .Glad to see how solid we have become and if we can take more of the chances we create can now see us finishing second and as far as the CL is concerned ,with a bit of luck we could again be starring in the final . 

[Igor Zidane]

Great post stu. I expected us to finish top four,hoped we'd finish higher and closer to chelski,.I personaly think we're the second best team in the country at the moment.Hoped we'd get in the 1/4's of the CL and have a good cup run. I,m made up we're getting closer to chelski and i think we'll get there next year. This year we'll finish 2nd and win the FA cup and win the CL again, thats all just another boring season really

[woof woof !]

Upfront, Crouch has given us great options, as i said before bringing the best out of certain players and his ability to help the team keep the ball is also excellent. However its this area that causes the most concern. Crouch will not score 20 goals a season, however he will contribute alot for the good of the team.

On the issue of Crouch ,I was vehemently against his signing but to be fair he has done well . I do wish however that he would get down the gym and put in some serious work on his neck muscles .I have yet to see him put in a powerful header towards goal , ok many of those attempts have been made on a ball with little pace to it BUT he only seems able to redirect a floated ball as he doesn't posses the power to actually attack it .We know he can win headers all day long ,if he develops the ability to batter them he'll build a more than respectable goal tally .

[Leonmc0708]

Stu, some good points well made, gotta disagree on a few though:

Reina - show me a goalkeeper who does not make the occasional blunder and I will give you this rocking horse sh.it I have in my possesion.

Crouch - whilst Ashton (potentially) would provide more goals, I dont think he is the same kind of player. He could not bring people into play the same way Lurchio does, but he is a good player.

Oh and Stu, I have just worked out your problem, you wont entertain discussion, and what you say goes no matter how much evidence to the contrary. Lets see what you think on this......

[stmichael]

Good post Stu.

Despite a little blip in the last 4-5 games, any fan would be a liar if they felt the team had not exceeded their expectations, especially in the Premiership this season. This recent blip is partly down to confidence and partly down to a little bit of fear creeping into our game, along with missing garcia and most of all Xabi, Crouch and Stevie seeming a tiny bit jaded (these 3 are so important to our creative game, but thankfully now we've got Robbie to take the weight off of crouch's shoulders a bit).

The reason I mention fear is because too often since we've come back from Japan we've dropped off of teams for too much of a game and stopped pressing and chasing them and closing them down. I know a lot of our players have played a lot of games but others haven't and it almost seems a teamwide thing where for chunks of a game we retreat and hope we don't concede rather than get in amongst them and make things happen for us, for as much of a game as is possible.

One of the things that was so good about our winning run was that we were confident and playing high up the pitch and pushing teams back into their own area for a change, and at the same time everyone was joining in the attacking flowing football.

Lately we've sat too deep too often and this makes it very hard to play forwards when we get the ball and often we've just lumped it up long and hopefully for too much of our recent games and the ball hasn't stuck up there. We can blame our strikers for that if we want but really it's not the way we've been playing when we've played well.

One thing that got to me a bit in the Birmingham draw was how completely we dominated them after we conceded the equaliser. I couldn't help thinking it's a shame we didn't go for it with that same amount of conviction throughout the game rather than so much just at the end. Obviously Brum sat back once they'd equalised but we could'a made them do that earlier I feel by squeezing the space in midfield.

But hey, It's far from doom and gloom time, it has just been a little bit sad to see us slip up when we had soooo much on offer (coulda got to within 2 points of the chavs while now 9 is the best possible).

We've come a long long way in the past year, even in the last 6 months.

Long live the Rafalution!!!!

[Ola Mr Benitez]

All I wanted from thisseason was to be closer, in points, to the eventual champions at the end of the season.  The progress made this year far outweighs what I hoped for.

To be serious contenders for 2nd place still amazes me.  I still thought we would be behind Arsenal and ManU.

[HacksawJimDuggin]

I am delighted with the way things have gone. At the start of the season I was confident of a Top 4 finish. After our start to the season that seemed unlikely but the run up Christmas now sees us a genuine contenders for 2nd place. We have definately been helped by the demise of Man Utd + Arsenal but there is no getting away from the fact we have come on leaps and bounds this season. I am 100% convinced we will get 2nd place. We have a very strong squad which has been strengthened in Jan windown, a consistency of selection meaning consistent performance and results and the best player in the country. 

[115-1073096938]

I am delighted with the way things have gone. At the start of the season I was confident of a Top 4 finish. After our start to the season that seemed unlikely but the run up Christmas now sees us a genuine contenders for 2nd place. We have definately been helped by the demise of Man Utd + Arsenal but there is no getting away from the fact we have come on leaps and bounds this season. I am 100% convinced we will get 2nd place. We have a very strong squad which has been strengthened in Jan windown, a consistency of selection meaning consistent performance and results and the best player in the country. 

With or without Henry i believe Arsenal have a very good foundation for Success. I think the right signings could see them become extremely strong again next season.

Robin van Persie looks a hell of a prospect. Toure's improved alround as a player and looks a very good centre half, Ashley Cole is probably one of the worlds best left backs. Reyes still lacks confidence but has alot of ability. Gilberto Silva is a very good holding midfielder.

Arsenal won't be as poor next season.

Manchester United also have the potential to improve immensely however i feel Ferguson will mess it all up with his poor signings.

For me, Ferguson isn't much better than Houllier. Yes he's good but i don't think he's what people make him out to be. Over the years he's made some woefull signings (aswell as some excellent) yet the best team he ever had consisted of kids that came through the youth ranks. Players like Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Butt and the Neville's were immense for United during the 90's. He made good signings in Yorke, Keane, Stam and Schmeichal, but i think he's proven he's unable to judge players all over the pitch and mastermind a team from scratch without having three or four players sorted for him from a youth side.

Something like that anyway, i can't really be arsed going into great detail on them .

[DAV]

I wanted a top 4 finish (thought we had an outside chance of second)

the cups- well a good run in europe and hoped for either FA cup or worthless cup to add to our tropheys cabinet

[flipmode]

I expected 2nd or 3rd really, 2nd well in reach now, also a trophy in the cabinet i think its our year for FA Cup   Europe looks possible aswell but 2 years in a row?

[Redtribe]

Stu, some good points well made, gotta disagree on a few though:

Reina - show me a goalkeeper who does not make the occasional blunder and I will give you this rocking horse sh.it I have in my possesion.

Crouch - whilst Ashton (potentially) would provide more goals, I dont think he is the same kind of player. He could not bring people into play the same way Lurchio does, but he is a good player.

Oh and Stu, I have just worked out your problem, you wont entertain discussion, and what you say goes no matter how much evidence to the contrary. Lets see what you think on this......

Pot and kettle jump to mind for some reason when reading that last bit!!

lol

[laza]

Pretty much being met,
I just wanted a serious challenge to second spot and bridge the cap with Chelski.
Plus some good cup runs and stronger looking more consistent team
I was somewhat bemused by all the crisis talk at start of season but i expect the CL win
had raised expectations for some to unreachable levels.

Stevie G staying has turned into a big bonus now that he looks settled. The disruption being caused i could see a silver lining with money we would have got for him. Though  seeing how Arsenal and MANCs are travelling now without their midfield tailsmen its brilliant that scouse links stayed strong
Really rapted that Harry Kewell has returned to something like his own self and isnt being slagged off and blamed for everything from global warming to disappearance of penguins.
.
Surprised about Sissoko signing as well but as last couple of  seasons has shown its very difficult to sign what you want, so if opportunity arises its best to grab it
Wasnt sure about Crouch signing especially for 7 million but he has won me over.
Cisse though has pretty much run out of time for me, quite amazing his fall from grace.
From uproar about rumours he may be sold at the start of season to taking over as player most like to copping a slagging thread in a very short time
When its all said and done though , for 14 million he just aint producing and his attitude makes him look like he is going down the Baros road
Now that defence has been sorted, the main priority for me is a striker even above a RM.
While im in seventh heaven that Robbie has returned and offers us a real poacher in the box.
We are still imo one quality striker away from being a serious contender for what is ultimate prize for every red fan, back where we belong on top of pile

[115-1073096938]

The other night against Birmingham i believe we failed to control the game from the midfield as we have done this season.