Liverpool FC Forum

[LFC2007]

It does work both ways mate, but I don't think many people believe Kuyt had a bad first season. I think he had a very good first season and he now has a platform to push on from.

[Scottbot]

Expecting a 3rd place finish meself. Would love to still be in the race come March and within 7-9 points of the winners come the end. Not sure we've challenged for the title since the last time we won it? Just to be genuinely in amonsgt it, under pressure week in week out would be fantastic and a sign of progress in my book. Can't see us winning it without having had the experience of even being in the race before. That's what these players need this season, to play and feel like one of the big boys and then maybe they will be ready (mentally) to push on the following season. 

As for the cups, i've also got a feeling we will win the Carling cup with the squad depth we've added this past off-season. I also expect us to get to quarter-finals of the Champ League and would never put it past Rafa to get us to Moscow. That will ofcourse depend largely on the progress made in the league.

Top Scorer? Fancy Crouch to force his way in ahead of Kuyt and walk off with the Club Golden Boot again.

Surprise Performer? Jermaine Pennant, i was very happy with his form from January onwards last season (our best attacking player in that time for me) and expect him to push on from there.

Player under pressure? Xabi Alonso has come in for some stick over the past year and has a battle on his hands for that spot in the middle alongside Gerrard. I expect him to come through it though.

[god_bless_john_houlding]

Well I have to admit, I'm not Kuyt's biggest fan, so I probably see his faults more clearly than I see his good points. I've said on many occasions that if he learns how to control a ball and have a little more composure in front of goal he'd be great because when he runs his heart out from the front it reminds me of Ian Rush defending from the front. But I do expect a lot more from Kuyt this year. I'm backing him all the way.

[stapo1000]

Imo, rafa's idea is to have more than 1 good player for each position. This competition means that nobody's place in the side is safe. This in addition to the top class signings we've made will result in us finally making an assault on the top 2 in the premiership. Our away form and the no. of points we take from the games against chelsea and man u will be the key. Over the last few seasons our home form has been top notch but away from home we were up to nothing and we couldn't be the top teams so if we can sort those 2 things out we'll be right up there at the end of the season. I'm predicting a top 2 finish

[babu]

Torres Flop Watch - RedCafe

Hilarious

Rafa-Dodd & Co should invade the caf as soon as Torres scores.

[stmichael]

Interesting that many believe that our new signings will be key to our success this season. I personally I have a different view I think the key is the core of our team starting the season well. Last season Gerrard, Carragher, Alonso, Reina amongst others started poorly and the team lacked balance, confidence and this affected the results and the new players performances - eg Gonzalez and Pennant for example.

Once our top players starting showing more form we got more balance in the team and players such as Pennant began to improve and we started picking up more points. It it obviously important that Torres, Babel, Yossi and Voronin are successful signings that enhance the first team rather than clogging up an already big squad. However I think their form / settling in period will be helped playing in a winning team, full of form and confidence, rather than last season seasons start.

Therefore the key for me is Reina, Finnan, Riise, Agger, Carragher, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Mascherano, Crouch, Kuyt and other existing first teamers starting well and making it easier for the new players.

The questions that need to be answered for me are:-

1) Can our away form improve enough that we have the consistancy of the top two? I can't see this happening if I'm being realistic.

2) Can our midfield score more goals, unlike the last few seasons. Last season for example United's midfield score more than 20 goals than ours. This is far too much and this gap has to be narrowed. Hopefully the arrivle of Yossi and Babel can help with this, as can the return of Kewell and some top form from Gerrard. But given Pennant, Alonso and Kewell's talent they should be helping more on the front.

3) Creation - We'll we have more this season? Last season too many games we couldn't break down defences against the poorer teams and didn't look like scoring. Man City away, Everton at home, Villa away are three example that spring to mind. Will the addition of Torres & Yossi help with this? Possibly but I feel nothing will help more than playing Gerrard from the centre more often than not.

[bigmick]

I've got another prediction. That Thierry Henri's arrival at Barcelona is the catalyst to the Spanish club switching their sights from one England midfielder (Fat Frank) to another. Henri absolutely loves Gerrard, recognises him as being amongst the handfull of best players on the planet and has indicated a few times that he'd like to be in the same team as our captain (don't ask me for quotes, it's just a kind of impression i get).

Now anybody who follows football over here, for that matter anybody who has even a basic understanding of the rudiments of Association Football would know that Lampard is not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Gerrard (though I will happily concede he is a very good player). Watch out for at the end of the season, not Chelsea or Real Madrid coming knocking but Barca this time. Thankfully I think for the forseeable we will keep Gerrard though, although there is a possibility obviously that one day he might fancy a "new challenge" and that will hopefully be overseas if it ever does come to pass.

[god_bless_john_houlding]

I've got another prediction. That Thierry Henri's arrival at Barcelona is the catalyst to the Spanish club switching their sights from one England midfielder (Fat Frank) to another. Henri absolutely loves Gerrard, recognises him as being amongst the handfull of best players on the planet and has indicated a few times that he'd like to be in the same team as our captain (don't ask me for quotes, it's just a kind of impression i get).

Now anybody who follows football over here, for that matter anybody who has even a basic understanding of the rudiments of Association Football would know that Lampard is not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Gerrard (though I will happily concede he is a very good player). Watch out for at the end of the season, not Chelsea or Real Madrid coming knocking but Barca this time. Thankfully I think for the forseeable we will keep Gerrard though, although there is a possibility obviously that one day he might fancy a "new challenge" and that will hopefully be overseas if it ever does come to pass.

I think Gerrard is safe and sound for the moment, based on two factors.

1) The new signings prove we're moving in the right direction. Stevie has always wished that for his boyhood team

2) Probably more importantly, the confirmation of the new ground. I think Gerrard is desperate to be playing in front of 60,000+ fans week in week out and the new ground will give him that chance (I know he'll get that chance at Barca to) but I think he wants to lead Liverpool out in the new ground. In fact he said that himself to the LFC offical magazine. So I think certainly until the 2nd year of us playing at the new stadium, Gerrard is going to be a Liverpool player. He is on £120,000 a week as it is. A five year deal has just been recently signed and if he sees that out Henry will be hitting 35 and the end of his time at Barca, so I think Stevie will be a Liverpool player for the duration of his career. The future is bright is for Liverpool and Stevie knows that and wants to be part of that.

[account deleted by request]

Rafa’s focus has to be on league
Aug 7 2007 by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

OVER the course of the next nine months there’ll be several new banners erected on The Kop.

Sadly, it’s one hoisted above the Stretford End at Old Trafford which says more about Liverpool’s current position in English football.

“17 years and counting,” it reads. We all know what it’s referring to.

The United fans gleefully add a digit every time their fiercest rivals come to town.

The fact this will be accompanied by their own proclamation of ‘champions’ will twist the knife even further.

They’re adept at exposing Liverpool’s insecurities because for 25 years they occupied the same territory.

Liverpool fans have a well rehearsed provocative comeback focusing on European Cup wins, but privately they know this isn’t a wholly satisfactory response.

It’s the title that matters most and the wait since 1990 has gone from being excruciating to infuriating to plain humiliating during the course of the last two decades.

Only when their captain lifts the Premier League trophy, and a sheepish crew of United stewards are forced to remove the offending banner from their stadium, can Liverpudlians reclaim the upper hand.

Each August arrives with the same question: Will this, finally, be the year the drought ends?

As in previous years, the honest answer is no.

Having appeared to have closed the gap 12 months ago, Liverpool lost far too much ground to United last season.

Even though many fans head into the season with stars and stripes in their eyes, expecting Rafa Benitez to turn a modest, generally disappointing league campaign into a title winning one is too much.

United have spent equal amounts on world class youngsters, while Chelsea are sure to be hurt and determined having lost their crown last May.

Arsenal head into the campaign for the first time under Arsene Wenger as rank outsiders. Given the pedigree of his youthful squad, that may make them more dangerous than ever.

What will be anticipated – or should that be demanded – is an Anfield title challenge. Not necessarily a victory, but the promise of a much improved run with plentiful evidence to suggest there’s more to come in the seasons ahead.

The squad Benitez has assembled over the summer should not only equip Liverpool to put more pressure on United and Chelsea, its put a foundation in place for more consistent performances year upon year.

Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel are young, ambitious and hungry.

When added to the spine of a team which, on its day, can look formidable in every department, Benitez has the right to expect a possible 20 point improvement on last season.

The realistic target for Liverpool must be a minimum of 80 points from the campaign.

If they achieve this, and can take points from their closest rivals, they know they’ll be contenders.

The areas of improvement are easily recognisable.

Liverpool need to make a better start than in recent years, and the away form which deteriorated horribly last season must be radically improved.

The Reds suffered just one league defeat at Anfield – and that was undeserved in the last minute to United.

But the boldness so often seen on their own territory was absent on the road.

For three seasons, Benitez has managed too many players he didn’t trust. Tinkering with the line-up wasn’t merely a consequence of changing for changing sake, but a reflection the boss was more concerned about what opponents could do to his side than confidence his own players could hurt the opponent.

Now his squad is absolutely his own, it’s hoped Benitez will go for the jugular away from home far more.

The age old theory about ‘letting the opposition worry about stopping us rather than the other way around’ is surely the key to a title challenge.

This mantra was certainly pivotal to United’s success last year.

Benitez’s reign so far has witnessed some of the most celebrated victories in Anfield history.

But his greatest successes have always defied rather than lived up to expectations.

When charged with pricking the egos of Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United in one-off cup games, his tactical expertise has been unrivalled.

Strangely, it’s when the odds have appeared to be more favourable to his side – especially away to mid-table, mediocre Premier League teams - the cunning Spaniard has been frustrated.

If a summer of heavy spending in the transfer market can remedy this fault, Liverpool can expect to be a formidable force in the title race.

If they don’t, the comparisons with previous watershed seasons under the reign of Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier will be difficult to ignore.

And that pesky banner at the Stretford End will remain in place for an 18th, miserable year.

[red37]

Fair enough comments on the present climate from Bascombe. It might even be prudent to suggest their sarcastic, yet all too truthful banner gets to read "19 years and counting" before that millstone is matched in stark reality by the long overdue 19th League title at Anfield. Which incidently, might be the last great fitting encore for the old stadium. What odds on that. Although giant steps are being undertaken to progressively transform the fortunes of this football club, some of them have been measured in leaps and bounds....others, may take longer - two years sounds about right for my money.

[god_bless_john_houlding]

Rafa arrived and like most managers gave himself the comfort of his 5 year plan. 2 years will be the end of his 5 year plan and if we haven't challenged by then, I don't care about what he may of achieved he has to go. For me this year is the time we have to challenge and we can't go on, signings have to settle down, because next year those signings would be settled by that summer's wont be, so it's a continuious thing. This year has to be the title push in my eyes and if it's not my faith and trust will be coming close to snapping. I suppose I should be fair and give him the 5 years he promised but if we're still not challenging for the league after the 08/09 season, then like I've said, Rafa has to go.

[username]

I expect 3rd place again, maybe 2nd(but, i always try not to get my hopes up). For me, it depends on a few things which will decide how good we are. Do we play Gerrard in the middle? Do we start playing Crouch(or at least against the teams he could all over)? Does Kewell do the business? Does kuyt learn that its easier to score when your closer to the goal? And will our new signings off to a good start?

But, in reality, most of them dont matter, the 2 real question are: Do we finaly get of to a good start, and do we stop losing/drawing games to poor teams?

If everything goes on the plus side, then hello Premiship! But I highly doubt that, which is why i expect no more than 3rd place.

[66-1112520797]

I expect us to challenge for the title this year, no ifs no buts its gotta happen now. At the tailend of last season mostly due to our frustrating performances in the league. A few posters on here admitted that this was a  big summer for Rafa. Big as in getting his summer signings right, and bringing in the right personel the team needs to kick on to give Man U and Chelsea a bit more of a fright in the league. Whether he has or not, I'm not entirely sure myself, and by the way some posters are now bending their words or expectations they might think the same. Now the familiar tune on these boards is "possibly next year". People and fans IMO have lost their bottle and and keep putting up the excuses before the season has even started, there already saying ' not this year, but possibly 08/09 season'. F.uck sake when will this mentality stop. I can only think people are saying this, mostly because their not to confident in our summer signings ... I dont know.

But Signings or not I expect us to fight for the title this year, and of course hope we win it. The longer we await our first Prem title the bigger the pressure on the manager, whom ever he may be at the time. As it stands its Rafa, who the pressure is on, time is ticking, money has been spent and I just hope it works out for us and the Spaniard. But TBH going on recent seasons and last year especially the performance and ethic in league games doesnt feel me with confidence.

I think its time the shackles were taking off the team and the boss gave his players the trust they need to kill off teams. Rafa instead of playing such a pragmatic approach of football, should trust his players to play that bit more cavalier without loosing games, or otherwise for me it could yet be another frustrating season.