Liverpool FC Forum

[account deleted by request]

Sorry, I had posted before I saw your comments Bob.

[Number 9]

You tell me Braga man, I was watching the game yesterday with the mates here, you weren't 

How do you know that toasterhead ?

I didnt see you beside me this morning in the casino while watching the game. If you would of been there you wouldnt be at a computer now.


Like I said its not all about Alonso Elephant head, its LFC aswell.

How old are you?

To be fair Stu, it was Sabre that threw the first insult on this occasion.

Toaster head and Elephant head though??

fuckell... Honestly.

 

[Bad Bob]

Baz! 



On the MOM, it's Gerrard for me.  Torres played bravely but not particularly well, by his standards.  Gerrard was sub-par too by his standards but he was short of match fitness yet still popped up at the right place at the right time in the 94th minute! 

[Number 9]

Funny as !

[Effes]

Not an impressive display, but feck it we won.

If we have a very good start to the season, it could give them the belief that they can do it.

Basically, the last few seasons we've lacked that belief.

Let's hope they get more of a winning mentality.

  @ Toasterhead

[maguskwt]

a question to Sabre (so that he might shed some insights on his fav liverpool player but anyone can discuss):

I'm usually quite a fan of Alonso... but yesterday's game like you mentioned he was really poor for a period of time before we came back with the goals. his tracking back was poor and allowed too easily some counter attacks of boro. but that can also mean that it's not only his fault but a few player's fault... what i'm more surprised recently is his delivery of corners! he wasted alot of our corners with him seemingly struggling to lift the ball over the first defender. IMO he was worse than Gerrard at corners and gerrard isn't really the most breathtaking corner-taker... and I also noticed similar problems during free kicks from the wide areas. I must admit I didn't notice this weakness from alonso when he was playing in previous seasons. Is it really a weakness or is he just having an off day? right now it just seems like our quality of corners and free kicks (crossing ones) are woeful compared to our rivals...

[Sabre]

I think that in a 80%, the responsabilty of a corner is of the taker. And I have to admit that both yesterday and in the games so far this season, the corners I've seen from Alonso, bar one or two, have been poor.

Which I hope it doesn't become a constant from him, because he has what it takes to demand him to be a good corner taker.

I think that we see far too many of our men taking them, correct me if I'm wrong but yesterday we say Fabio Aurelio, Alonso, Gerrard, and also Kuyt ?!?! taking  corner.

P.S. BTW, while I have a soft spot for Alonso, my favourite player is Carraguer, and the second Gerrard. Alonso has an honorable third. 

[Number 9]

I think that in a 80%, the responsabilty of a corner is of the taker. And I have to admit that both yesterday and in the games so far this season, the corners I've seen from Alonso, bar one or two, have been poor.

Which I hope it doesn't become a constant from him, because he has what it takes to demand him to be a good corner taker.

I think that we see far too many of our men taking them, correct me if I'm wrong but yesterday we say Fabio Aurelio, Alonso, Gerrard, and also Kuyt ?!?! taking  corner.

P.S. BTW, while I have a soft spot for Alonso, my favourite player is Carraguer, and the second Gerrard. Alonso has an honorable third. 

his corners are shi'te!!

[account deleted by request]

P.S. BTW, while I have a soft spot for Alonso, my favourite player is Carraguer, and the second Gerrard. Alonso has an honorable third. 

While I accept what you say is true, I have to say also that it doesn't come across that way in your posts Sabre.

Not looking for an argument just trying to point out where some problems of perception may arise.

For example when Lando goes on one of his Mr mee rants against Gerrard, I have never noticed you jumping to Gerrards defence? While if someone mentions they don't like Alonso's new haircut or that he wears his shorts too tight   , you always seem to be in like a flash defending him. 

Like I said, just a matter of perception perhaps?

[Sabre]

You probably are right when you perceive I defend Alonso more than the other two. Mostly because those usually do not receive regular criticism. Most of the times I talk about a player here is to defend him from a criticism I disagree. When everybody praises Alonso you won't  see me praising him, that is.

But I like Carra and Gerrard more. The first, because if you fill Liverpool of Alonsos and Reinas, it would be a very good team, but not the Liverpool I know, he's the soul. The second, because he's the most complete midfielder I've ever known (and I'm 32 already). I'd rather see Alonso leaving than any of those two, so yes, they're more favourite to me. Gerrard is not only more favourite, but a better player aswell.

Update: Torres is earning a soft spot in my heart aswell. I had more prejudices than you lot because I've known him more seasons, but if he makes another season like the last one, by June he'll be my 3rd favourite

P.S. As for your point of Lando, I do not answer his posts on match days, there are times when you have to leave Lando to express himself, but I don't share his views on Captain Fantastic, bar a couple of points .

But if you look at when St Michael talks about the captaincy of Gerrard, you'd see me there defending Gerrad I also defended him when he had a lil blip just when the Mascherano-Gerrard partnership was starting to be used after the Alonso injury. I thought back then that Gerrard and Mascherano could be a very good parnership while some members didn't. That is, it is a matter of perception and circunstamces. When Ciggy or Lando have a rant, leave them to have it.

[slickrick]

have to laugh at whoever said gerrard was man of the match, fair enough he won us the match with a typical super goal but his all round play was poor, i thought alonso was shocking bad, need mascherano back quick! again i'm repeating myself i know but without good wide men we'll be winning nothing this year! but its all about winning and winning games when your playing bad is how you win the title

[only me]

we look like 3 match in a row - benitez is still playing with this cup mentalitiy where results are at expense of performance ,can't fool everybody all of the time - he better make a quick sharp change in his thinking or we aren't going anywhere.

Alonso has never recovered from his injury last season ,he is sooo slow with the ball and that's why he is sloppy with his passes ,Stevie hasn't started the season yet (probably due to his injury) ,Kean looks like nothing why not play Veronin which was was sharp at the pre-season - where is the youngster spearing which should class and character? Arbeloa is a waste of time no defence and offence hardly liverpool material..

Yes it's only the beginning and yes we havn't lost yet ,but lets enjoy some football where is our passing ability ,whats the deal with the long balls? sorry guys just venting love our players love our coach just wish he would stop being so over sophisticated ,it's a simple game let's just play it.

[maguskwt]

Kean looks like nothing why not play Veronin which was was sharp at the pre-season

   

[Sabre]

I'm not the kind of fan that likes to judge a player in few matches -- I can't do it, while I admit other fans only need a match or two

So it's early and all that but I think Keane is a much noticeable improvement over Voronin. A expensive one yes, but so far I'm liking what I'm seeing. I hope the price tag doesn't weight too much on his shoulders, but he seems experienced enough, I didn't see intimidation playing for a big club.

[LFC2007]

Ok, 6 points built on two moments of brilliance from our two best players, who carried us for much of last season.

Now, I haven't felt as good as I did when Gerrard got the winner in a while, but the actual performance was still very concerning.

This was a game where, after Mido had scored, radical anti-Rafa/doom and gloom thoughts were beginning to enter the equation, then 25 min's later we were top of the league and on our way to building something towards a title challenge. That's how 'on the edge' we were. I don't think anyone could deny that with 10 min's to go, 'Rafa out' thoughts were well and truly on the agenda. Boro were deserving of a point no question.

In analysing the performance I can't see too far past the problems we had against Sunderland.

We still failed to get width - from our full backs - at key moments. It's not necessarily incumbent upon them to get crosses in all the time, or to provide assists, it really is just to provide that option more often than not - an outlet which can help stretch midfield or defence - depending on how advanced up the pitch we are.

To try and play through a team whilst having Kuyt and Benayoun as our intermediate link men - as they simply don't play as wide men - is crazy. To try and penetrate a defence in limited space, against sides whose main priority is to defend, is very difficult without exceptionally talented players - ones who are technically superb and who have very good movement. As we clearly don't have these types of players in these positions, we either i) get the full backs to push up at the right times in support, or we may as well buy wingers. As it was (for a long time), we were relying on i) Boro making a noteworthy defensive error, ii) A moment of brilliance from Torres, Keane, or Gerrard, iii) A moment of rogue flukiness. We got our moment of rogue flukiness, before we got our moment of brilliance, but that simply won't happen all the time and we will have to create more opportunities and better opportunities of our own doing.

So, whilst Keane, Gerrard and Torres will inevitably create opportunities as they are very good players - there isn't that third link man in one of the left-right sided positions to give us another dimension. I say third as more often than not our play is two-dimensional - through midfield to attack straight down the middle. That third dimension is exactly what we need. Kuyt was OK in doing so for a little while, but we need much more than what he offers, generally speaking.

I thought the link up play between Torres and Keane was the most encouraging point to take from the game - performance wise. Arbeloa was very poor, Dossena improved but remained shabby defensively and wasn't in the right positions in the second half to help support the attack. Benayoun was non-existent, Kuyt was decent, Alonso hit and miss, Gerrard patchy too. Carragher ok, Skrtel shakey at times but ok nonetheless. Reina had his dodgy moment also.