Liverpool FC Forum

by **115-1073096938** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 4:42 pm

Totally agree on that point.

The one about Riise i can't agree with though. Every time we conceed a goal or a cross into the box it comes from Riise's side of the pitch. Last season last game against Chelsea, Pennant against us this season where he skinned Riise goodstyle.

He's an average Defender, nowhere near Finnan, Carragher, Vignal, Hyypia and Henchoz standards. His attacking player over the last two seasons has been very average aswell to say the least probably on about 5 occassions has he shown what he is capable of.

by **JBG** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:56 pm

Stu, me and you are in danger of agreeing with each other far too often for my liking!

I also think Riise is a problem. Great athlete, but has no football brains. Hoofs it forward the whole time, a major weakness when we are in possession. Hasn't even scored his trade mark pile driver for a long time.

He was good in 2002 but he now looks like a low rent Steve Staunton.

However, I wouldn't sell him. I'd get in a guy like Candela from Roma, and have Riise be his understudy. Riise can and probably will improve, but his distribution is a major problem in my opinion.

I think he has his uses as a left sided midfielder, and most of his best performances (i.e. 2002) came from that position.

However, the fight for places in Liverpool's midfield is getting tight. I'd love to see Cheyrou get a chance. Even in his 10 minute appearance against Aston Villa he looked a lot more "up for it" than all of last season.

by **115-1073096938** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 6:15 pm

Riise canbe a good squad player. The fact is he's not as bad as i say. But he is. If you get me.

He is a great athlete but he doesn't show enough for my liking.

His only really good season was his first. Since then he's been pretty awful with the exception of the odd game.

Totally agree about Cheyrou.

This lad HAS got the ability. I seen him in pre-season against Lazio when he first signed and he was amazing. Not good, amazing. He was disguising his passes, side stepping playersm creating play, playing through balls. I don't care what no f##ker says he got enough to be a superb midfielder.

He's fairly athletic, has the brains and tactical sense and his technique is superb. He seems to have beefed up in terms of agression and physical strength aswell. He hasn't shown it yet, yes he's been a massive dissapointment but there is clearly talent there. Its just a question of how to get it out of him.

Against Chelsea he defended ok and scored the winner then against Villa he came on, defended ok then recieves a pass, good touch away from Barry, shrugged him off carried the ball, everyone screaming for a pass or shot... keeps going, everyone still screaming and you could hear it in the stadium, he kept going and everyone just went silent as he played a perfectly weighted and spotted through ball for Kewell who blazes high and wide. Hopefully he can start to show it on a regular basis.

by **columbia** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:22 pm

cheyrou has impressed me too over the last couple of matches. And from listening too him and reading his quotes you can tell he has the desire to achieve a lot.

I think last year he struggled to adapt to the speed and physical demands of the premiership but now he's slowly getting used too it im expecting a good 2004 from him.

by **Ade** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 12:56 am

John Barnes' Granny wrote:Stu, me and you are in danger of agreeing with each other far too often for my liking!

I also think Riise is a problem. Great athlete, but has no football brains. Hoofs it forward the whole time, a major weakness when we are in possession. Hasn't even scored his trade mark pile driver for a long time.

He was good in 2002 but he now looks like a low rent Steve Staunton.

However, I wouldn't sell him. I'd get in a guy like Candela from Roma, and have Riise be his understudy. Riise can and probably will improve, but his distribution is a major problem in my opinion.

I think he has his uses as a left sided midfielder, and most of his best performances (i.e. 2002) came from that position.

However, the fight for places in Liverpool's midfield is getting tight. I'd love to see Cheyrou get a chance. Even in his 10 minute appearance against Aston Villa he looked a lot more "up for it" than all of last season.

Get in Candela? Some hopes. No disrespect, i agree with you - he's superb, but it's a bit like saying we should get in Figo or Nedved and use Diouf and Murphy to back em up.

I agree with a post someone had earlier: take a look at Mendieta. If Boro have offered #5m for Heskey, take it: his line that his recent good form is cos 'I'm playing for a new contract' says it all really. Surely he should be playing for the team. Swap him for mendieta and we've got a right-sided solution. Think Mendieta fancies the Prem, but not at Boro, and he could be a bit like gary Mac - old wise head and no little vision.

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:41 pm

On the point of Riise:

I think we should concetrate on stengthing our weakest points first, and I don't think Riise is our weakest point.

I happen to rate Vincente Candela highly but he is above us, Roma are a good side sitting on top of the Italian League, he is unlikely to move, and if he does move there will be a host of quality clubs(better than us) that will want him.

Weakest Points:

1)Striker to partner Owen
2)Pacey centre back to partner Hyypia
3)Quality right sided midfielder

Cheyrou:

I have been a fan of Cheyrou from the start(check my posts), and have always defended him from all those fans who knoked him and said he wasn't good enogh to play Sunday League. Now he scores against Chelsea he is the best thing since sliced bread, typical.

by **Dom1** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:48 pm

Ade wrote:Get in Candela? Some hopes. No disrespect, i agree with you - he's superb, but it's a bit like saying we should get in Figo or Nedved and use Diouf and Murphy to back em up.

I agree with a post someone had earlier: take a look at Mendieta. If Boro have offered #5m for Heskey, take it: his line that his recent good form is cos 'I'm playing for a new contract' says it all really. Surely he should be playing for the team. Swap him for mendieta and we've got a right-sided solution. Think Mendieta fancies the Prem, but not at Boro, and he could be a bit like gary Mac - old wise head and no little vision.

being an everton fan have too suffer poor performances a lot more often than a liverpool fan.

but you just have to keep belief in your team. and look at the positive signs rather than the negative.

Dom

by **JBG** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:36 pm

I don't think Candela is beyond us.....remember how Houllier tried to get Lizarazu two years ago?

Nedved etc would cost £20million plus, whereas Candela is a £10million player.

I agree with you all about being realistic, but I think signing Candela is within Liverpool's means.

by **Owzat** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:41 pm

I can't see any big names joining Liverpool with us struggling to finish fourth and talk of our star player leaving. A couple of seasons ago we were in a far better situation and players would come here, now we're not even in the Champions League and struggling in most competitions including the Premiership

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:41 pm

John Barnes' Granny wrote:I don't think Candela is beyond us.....remember how Houllier tried to get Lizarazu two years ago?

Nedved etc would cost £20million plus, whereas Candela is a £10million player.

I agree with you all about being realistic, but I think signing Candela is within Liverpool's means.

Yeah, Houllier tried to get Lizarazu and didn't, dosent that prove my point?

by **JBG** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:46 pm

Maybe Candela is beyond us at the moment, but we could have got him in the summer as Roma had a dreadful few seasons and it's only this year that they are back challenging for Seria A.

Remeber that we signed Babbel in 2000, when back then he would have had a comparable reputation to Candela has now.

If Boumsong goes to Rangers then I cannot see why Candela would not go to Liverpool, provided we got Champions League footie of course!

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:48 pm

The only reason Babbel came to us was because he wanted to prove himself in a better league.

by **Owzat** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:50 pm

If Houllier leaves and a big name replacement comes in, then we may become an attractive proposition for prospective transfer targets. Most big name footballers want Champions League football and we can't even be sure we'll finish fourth. I doubt any would come with us fifth in the league and looking at maybe winning the UEFA Cup and/or FA Cup. If we ditch Houllier now and get someone in then maybe we can get fourth and anything is possible

by **115-1073096938** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 8:11 pm

Probably the best run club in English football and your telling us its not run properly. Owzat... why do you want us to go down the spurs route?

Has the point on Riise not being the weakest member of the team is correct because he's a sub.

I agree on the weakest positions. Houllier knows this and is looking to improve. I will be interested to see his solutions.

by **DAV** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 8:12 pm

I'd like to see his solutions 2 to problems he has caused

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