by god_bless_john_houlding » Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:14 pm
This is going to take some time, so bare with me.
This is where I see Liverpool Football Club right now.
We are a side unable to compete for the league title, this could be for one of a several reasons, obviously the main one looks to be Benitez' tactics. But I don't think we're capable of competing and we must accept it, and lower our exceptations. We as fans may all be desperate for a league title, but it's going to be at least another 3-4 years before one comes our way with the current state of affairs. Even a new manager isn't the quick fix answer, because we'll still be those 3-4 years behind the top sides. Can we really be patient for those years? I'd like to say I am but I'd be lying. I'm not patient to wait another 4 years without a league title. I expect us to win it every year because that's what I became a customed to in the 70s and 80s.
Secondly the current crop of players. For me they should be good enough to challenge for the league, if played and managed in the right way. I think our starting 11 is as good as anybody's in the league. Our spine is certainly the best in the league IMO and don't forget it is just my opinion. No facts or anything, just an honest opinion. Here's why our spine is the best in the league though. Reina is the best keeper in the world IMO. Carragher, best centre half in the land and Agger is as good as any ball playing centre half around. Also they compliment each other so well. Gerrard is the world's best central midfielder and take any one of other three central midfielders they can give any other pair of midfielders a run for their money. As for up front, Torres is as good as anything around in the world, and Crouch causes havoc and chips in now and then with a couple of goals. Out wide is where we struggle, full backs and wingers. For me Finnan and Arbeloa are two good full backs for left and right but aren't as good as the other three top side's full backs. The same goes for the wingers. I'm a huge fan of both Pennant and Babel but they're not as good as what the other three offer. Now for the rest of the squad, we have quality in depth with the likes of Alonso, Lucas, Skrtel. Then for the players who take the brunt of the criticism on here, my personal ones are Kuyt, Aurellio and Kewell. Now I've never been a fan of Kuyt, but I think that's been obvious, but I will defend him here. Sammy Lee goes down as a hero at Anfield, for doing the same thing Kuyt does. Run around for 90 minutes and never give up. But the reason Lee is praised is because it wasn't his job to score whereas it is for Kuyt. There's always three or four who we would all like to see the back of. Voronin being top of that list for everyone.
Now for the youngsters coming through. There hasn't been a young lad break through and stay in the side on a regular basis since Gerrard. There also hasn't been many youngsters coming in at all since the academy was moved over to Kirkby, which is a huge reason IMO why they can't stay in the side. When the youngsters/reserves trained at Melwood they knew the first team and weren't as shell shocked or nervous going into the side as they are now because they knew the players they were playing with. I firmly believe that is a huge factor in the reasons for kids not being able to play in the first team for a long periord. Sticking with the kids, I've been impressed from what I've seen and heard about them this year and the last couple. I believe that some of our current youngsters will make the grade at Anfield, but the only way they will is by giving them a go, that takes a huge amount of bottle and with us being now 18 years without a title, it'd take a very brave man to have that bottle. But throughout our history our best players have been those who've come through the youth setup or have had a few years in the reserves first.
On the transfer debate, it's no secret that I think Benitez has made far to many bad buys. That's based solely on the incoming player. Not cost or what we sold them on for, but solely on the player and what they achieved at the club. There's always the exceptations to that, and I will give credit Benitez for bringing in seven or eight players who I class to be world stars. I don't need to name them as we know who they are already. So to some extent Benitez has been able to cancel out his 20-30 bad buys with the 7-8 world stars. No manager (not even Shanks and Bob) got it spot on all the time. Also comparing Benitez' signings to anyone elses is pretty pointless (yes I've done it myself, but I still see it pointless) because you can sit there and ask why didn't Benitez take on Tevez as well as Mascheranho, but to counter that you can say why didn't Ferguson buy Reina instead of Van Der Sar. Like I said no manager gets transfers spot on all the time, so I think it's important that we credit Benitez on those who've been great signings for the club and it's these players who in those 3-4 years I mentioned earlier who'll be the reasons we are challeneging.
Now for the board. I admit it must affect Benitez, not knowing if he's going to be in charge at the start of next season, but the only way to clarify that is by performing. The fact that we are performing BELOW very high expectations is why his job uncertain. The truth is, if we were admitted that we're not good enough to win the league, then this would be a great season. A chance of fourth, going well in europe and a realistic quater final in the FA Cup. That would be a good season for a side uncapable of winning the league, but because we still assume we should be challenging it looks like a poor season. Sticking on the board, I think they were wrong for publically admitting they'd spoken to Klinsmann and other of their antics have been pathetic at best. So again I can see why people, certainly those who support Benitez, will blame the yanks for this season. It's not an ideal situation, but I still think Benitez should concentrate with the ongoings on the pitch, rather than complaining about what's happening behind the scenes.
Finally for us fans. We need to be realistic and back Benitez to the heavens while he's in charge. I don't want Benitez as our manager because as I've stated many times I don't feel he can win us the league. But if Benitez is the manager at the start of next year, I will say the same as I have for the last 18 years "this is our year" So I will support Benitez to win us the league at the start of next year. I'd also like to see the rest of you anti-Benitez, to have the same idea. Back him and the players (including Voronin and Kuyt) to get it right.
That's it, and sorry if it doesn't belong in here, I'm sure someone will put it in the right topic.
1) You'll Never Walk Alone
2) pass and move is the Liverpool groove
3) FIRST WILL ALWAYS BE FIRST AND SECOND WILL ALWAYS BE NOTHING.
4) If Torres has scored 60 league goals for Liverpool by the start of the 2011/12 season, I'll say he's better than Owen.
sad inditement of football today that shi.te lad.
