Liverpool FC Forum

[Ciggy]

I sh!t meself yesterday when I seen that starting line up, it was crazy and I thought Rafa what have you done, it was a massive gamble and it paid off thankfully.

The reason it paid off was that either the players that came in for the absenties want a piece of the action, or the players that came in have improved.

I dont know which one, and I dont want to see more gambles such as these much more in the season, it could have gone horribly wrong, lucky enough it was a vast improvement on the past games where we have been way to cautious and us thinking where are the goals going to come from.

The last two games we have looked like a title winning team, and long may it continue 

Libpool top o the league 

[Ciggy]

A little montage of pre-match forum opinion. I shared similar concerns when I saw the line-up but fookin ell! Didn't they play well. Does anyone else love playing Newcastle? We always batter em!

Pre-Match

WTF??? Keane on the bench?  So what it's 4-5-1 with Babel playing lone striker? Chirst why is Keane on the bench,

3 of our best players against Bolton Reira, Alonso and Keane all on the bench   

What has Kuyt done in the last 3 games to warrant a start?

Rafa does it again 

I can understand resting 1 or 2 players since we only played 2 days ago..but there is no way Keane should be left out,he's not gonna be feeling tired after scoring two,more like chomping at the bit to play again.
Rafa has set himself up for a hammering should we not win today.

Rafa will be slaughtered if we don't win this game...and rightly so after all the needless tinkering.

Was Kuyt injected with the "super solider serum" ? Why does he have to play every game ?.... even when he was the worst player for us against bolton ?


Gosh....... And also, does benitez want keane to lose form ? If u look at keane's stats from previous seasons, he usually scores in "a patch".... He scores 3 goals in 2 games and is dropped ?

I'm a bit tanked up here so apologies for any speaking out of turn, but that is an absolutely ridiculous team selection. Even if we win, it's still ridiculous. Why? because we are passing up the opportunity to continue Keane's roll. I cannot believe the silliness of it. Quote me when we've won the game 3-0 by all means, that is an absolutely ludicrous team selection.

I see Rafa's Meds have worn off.

Hindsight is a wonderfull thing, there is having trust in rafa and there is having blind faith, he is not untouchable no manager is.

It was a massive, huge gamble yesterday and he got away with it, on another day it could have gone terribly wrong.

[Judge]

scott what is a super solider serum?

[Sabre]

I sh!t meself yesterday when I seen that starting line up, it was crazy and I thought Rafa what have you done, it was a massive gamble and it paid off thankfully.

I've read this notion several times already (Meaning, not answering just you Lynds)

Ok, that was a gamble. But just checking here, playing Keane and Alonso 90 mins after 48 hours wouldn't be a gamble? I mean do people think that after 48 H, Alonso will be in min 65 like in the last game?

If playing them is also a gamble, then fair enough, everything is a gamble and every opinion is respectable  and all that.

But if someone comes here to say it's the right thing to do and it's no gamble, well, to put it diplomatically I'd have to disagree.

[devaney]

I'm a bit tanked up here so apologies for any speaking out of turn, but that is an absolutely ridiculous team selection. Even if we win, it's still ridiculous. Why? because we are passing up the opportunity to continue Keane's roll. I cannot believe the silliness of it. Quote me when we've won the game 3-0 by all means, that is an absolutely ludicrous team selection.

Hind sight is 20/20 but I could'nt help but notice this comment b/4 the game started..

Is the object of team selection to win a match or to preserve a particular player's form?

It is precisely comments like this that simply turns you off this site sometimes.

Its the team stuupid![B]

The object of team selection is not only in cliche terms, "to take each game as it comes", it's also to build a momentum and a team mentality which carries you to a points total which is the best the group of players can achieve. I think if Keane had played, he would have scored. Just my opinion of course, but if he had scored a goal or two, it would have meant that we had a striker on our hands who had scored in the last three league matches and was absolutely on fire.

Is that important? Well you obviously don't think so, which is fine. I think it is though to be perfectly honest. We are all hoping that Torres is going to come back soon, but there are no certainties. If he doesn't come back and start scoring instantly, infact even if he does, it would be a bit of a result if our 20 million quid second striker was in good form as well. It won't matter of course if we play against teams as good as Newcastle reserves every week, but my guess is we'll play against better teams than that and we'll need someone other than Gerrard to provide a goal threat.

We could on the other hand continue to play Dirk Kuyt up front, and mess around with Keane so he never sure whether or not he's going to play, and whether or not the sub board is going to have his number on it. It may be the case that it doesn't matter, it won't have any effect whatsoever on how well he plays. Then again, it may not.

Then, three or four weeks down the track and we need a goal/performance from our 20 million quid striker and we don't get one, we'll all be scratching our heads and wondering why.

I'm sorry my post is the kind which turns you off the forum. My advice is not to read them anymore because they are all of a similar ilk. Read Emerald Reds posts, or GYBS's, or Sabre's if you are feeling a tad more controversial (no pop at those lads there, simply pointing out that they are a bit more HC than me). Leave mine well alone though, because when you've had a bloke finally get going half way through a season, score 3 times in two matches and you leave him out, the chances are I'll have something to say about it. Sorry and all that, but that's the way it is.

As it is I stand by my opinion voiced before the game. If Keane wasn't injured, not playing him was a ridiculous decision. In actual fact, seeing how bad Newcastle were I'm even more convinced that keane should have played. Against them, I absolutely fail to see how any centre forward could play in that game and not score, or at least have a hatful of chances.

Even deadly Dirk had a shot in the first half, although of course he didn't actually manage to score. Goodness knows how, St James should be one of his favourite grounds after his knee rebound/deflection thing of a couple of seasons ago. Perhaps he remembered what happened to him the next game after he broke his drought, he was dropped of course.

Keane has much to learn.

I agree with you up to the point when you said - The object of team selection is not only in cliche terms, "to take each game as it comes"

And then you go into your typical negative whinge mode - ffs take your tablets - it is the season to be merry - buy some specs in the sales !

PLAYED 20 WON 13 DRAWN 6 LOST 1 - TOP OF THE LEAGUE - TOP OF CL TABLE - What is the fkng problem?

[Sabre]

PLAYED 20 WON 13 DRAWN 6 LOST 1 - TOP OF THE LEAGUE - TOP OF CL TABLE - What is the fkng problem?

We don't only want Rafa winning the league, we want Rafa winning the league agreeing with our football criteria 

[bigmick]

I despair I really do. Is this a football forum or what? It really is becoming unreal over these last couple of weeks. "Typical negative whinge mode, FFS take your tablets". "What is the f.ucking problem".

It seems the forum is full of people at the moment who don't wish to talk about football, but simply want to shout down anyone who doesn't agree with them. Ah well.

[lakes10]

I despair I really do. Is this a football forum or what? It really is becoming unreal over these last couple of weeks. "Typical negative whinge mode, FFS take your tablets". "What is the f.ucking problem".

It seems the forum is full of people at the moment who don't wish to talk about football, but simply want to shout down anyone who doesn't agree with them. Ah well.

Its been like that for since Rafa come here  in my view.

some (yes me) was not sure he was the right man for the job as they did not feel he understood the Prem (and i still think he gets it wrong a lot of the time) but as soon as you make a post saying what you think, you get told your not a Liverpool fan.

some on here know what it feels like to stand on the kop and see the team walk around with the league trophy, some like me also know what it feels like to be standing on the Kop and be  1 min away from winning the league trophy only to see a goal that will live with you the rest of your life.

being a Liverpool fan means ups and downs it also means we can talk about our club to our friends and say how you feel but they all know we love the club and if we say something bad then it only due to not being happy with the way things are going.

the big problem with some of the members on here is that they forget how it feels to be top all the time, they think its great when we end up in the top 4 as thats all they know.

No we are Liverpool and we should be No1, that our place in English football and its been far too long since we have been there, 2009 is the year we have the best chance for a long time to take our place back. and yes if we dont then i will be looking to blame someone and that someone will be the manager as he pick the team and buys the players and tells the team how to play.

we all love Liverpool FC but we should be able to say how we feel without told to shut the up.

[Owzat]

What a way to end the year!

Even better when Boro take points off the other c*nts tomorrow.

Fingers crossed that comes true mate.

C'mon boro...... the mancs are probably still jet lagged.... no better time to wipe the floor with 'em eh?


 

I've been saying for a while that I'd keep more of an eye on the mancs than Chelsea, the latter have failed to take advantage of our slip ups and the mancs now have three games in hand and us to visit their's. Games in hand don't necessarily equal points, but their two were both home games in hand and they won SEVENTEEN at home last season I believe.

The mancs are developing a knack of late winners - Sunderland (90th?), Stoke (84th?) and Liga Da Quito (late). If we did that then we'd be called "lucky", but apparently, as I've said before many times, because it's them it's "playing until the final whistle, showing resolve and the sign of a true champion"

Seems my attempts at fantasy team cursing of the opposition is meeting with some success.

Lampard - scored two 
Alex - limped off injured
Ferdinand - out with back injury
Anelka - only on the bench, didn't score as sub and hasn't in 151 mins since I put him in my team!

Ronaldo - yet to play
Rooney - yet to play

Best get subbing the injured !

EDIT : as for jet lag, I gather that while they were in Japan the cunning cunt fergie made his players stick to GMT or whatever we're in ie go to bed UK time etc as much as possible

[Sabre]

the big problem with some of the members on here is that they forget how it feels to be top all the time, they think its great when we end up in the top 4 as thats all they know.

In this life, if you plant tomatoes, you get tomatoes.

If you plant disrespect like this to the fans that defend Rafa, and some months ago it was difficult to defend Rafa around here, then to get respect of those fans is a bit optimistic, to say the least. Especially if we're top of the table and you still claim to have the reallistic views about the whole matter.

[devaney]

I despair I really do. Is this a football forum or what? It really is becoming unreal over these last couple of weeks. "Typical negative whinge mode, FFS take your tablets". "What is the f.ucking problem".

It seems the forum is full of people at the moment who don't wish to talk about football, but simply want to shout down anyone who doesn't agree with them. Ah well.

Its been like that for since Rafa come here  in my view.

some (yes me) was not sure he was the right man for the job as they did not feel he understood the Prem (and i still think he gets it wrong a lot of the time) but as soon as you make a post saying what you think, you get told your not a Liverpool fan.

some on here know what it feels like to stand on the kop and see the team walk around with the league trophy, some like me also know what it feels like to be standing on the Kop and be  1 min away from winning the league trophy only to see a goal that will live with you the rest of your life.

being a Liverpool fan means ups and downs it also means we can talk about our club to our friends and say how you feel but they all know we love the club and if we say something bad then it only due to not being happy with the way things are going.

the big problem with some of the members on here is that they forget how it feels to be top all the time, they think its great when we end up in the top 4 as thats all they know.

No we are Liverpool and we should be No1, that our place in English football and its been far too long since we have been there, 2009 is the year we have the best chance for a long time to take our place back. and yes if we dont then i will be looking to blame someone and that someone will be the manager as he pick the team and buys the players and tells the team how to play.

we all love Liverpool FC but we should be able to say how we feel without told to shut the up.

So your reasoning is that the manager is to blame for everything? I am not telling you to shut the fk up but aren't you being just a tad naive? Last year it was the Yanks because they had the audacity to borrow some money and now that's gone quiet - I wonder why? The year before it was Parry and the Gerrard debacle.

I also remember Michael Thomas because I was there. Maybe after thrashing West Ham we took a few things for granted. Who did you blame in that year for Liverpool losing the league?

[bigmick]

the big problem with some of the members on here is that they forget how it feels to be top all the time, they think its great when we end up in the top 4 as thats all they know.

In this life, if you plant tomatoes, you get tomatoes.

If you plant disrespect like this to the fans that defend Rafa, and some months ago it was difficult to defend Rafa around here, then to get respect of those fans is a bit optimistic, to say the least. Especially if we're top of the table and you still claim to have the reallistic views about the whole matter.

We're going to have to disagree here Sabes I'm afraid. This fella is the third one today who has launched into an unprovoked attack on one of my posts, directly quoting as he went. Nothing wrong in that, it is a forum for debate after all, but like the others he chooses to go for the abuse anle rather than explain what he actually thinks himself.

The argument appears to be that as we won the game confortably, and as we are top of the league, anybody who voices an opinion other than that which is overtly HC is a c...

There's no "well I think dropping Keane was a fair enough decision because....", or "I'm actually glad we're rotating more now because of ........", there's none of that.

I had the fella this morning telling me that what I didn't realise was that Rafa likes to change the team not just to keep people fresh, but also to take the opposition into account, (he didn't put it quite so nicely as that but that appeared to be his point from what I could make out) and now this fella with his "FFS take yourt tablets", "buy some specs in the sales", "whats the f.ucking problem".

Once again, no attempt to even voice an opinion of his own, simply a small broadside.

I don't do internet flame wars so I aren't going to start with these people. The way such people are carrying on though and have been for a few weeks now is ridiculous, plain and simple.

[Owzat]

By the by, I believe that was our 200th domestic game under Rafa.

A fantastic win, we couldn't have scripted it better if we'd tried. Maybe a bit more luck and better finishing and we'd have stuck in ten. But to be honest they weren't up to much, after a bright-ish start they were easily subdued and defending tooth and nail like some sides that visit Anfield. Fair enough we put them to the sword, something we've failed to do at home several times this season, but I think almost anyone could have played quite well yesterday.

I've been saying for a long time that we need more goals from midfield and the odd goal or two from defence, well that's more or less what we relied on yesterday. I thought perhaps 'Egg Nog' could have taken the penalty as a confidence booster, didn't matter if he missed it as we'd won the game already. To win so comfortably away from home less than 48 hours after our previous match was good. I must confess I was fearing the worst after we didn't take our early chances, Dictating the game, carving out chance after chance and 0-0 to show for it. At 2-0 up we then gave them a lifeline, they should have been dead and buried not 1-2 at half time. But we finished them off in style second half, good to see Skrtel get some time on the pitch but I was disappointed Torres didn't make the bench.

As for us being top. Long may it last, however we're not home and dry yet. The mancs aren't champions two years in a row for nothing. And the stat that came up over the weekend, that only once in the last four years has the side top at Christmas not won the title, doesn't fill me with confidence. The team that screwed up was Arsenal, we are more like Arsenal than the mancs or Chelsea. We both have good players, but not as many expensive ones. Without two or three key players we can look godawful, and we can flatter to deceive.

We need to go on a winning run, I said in another thread that the games we have coming up are ones we dropped points in last season. We can't afford silly defeats away to (teams like) West Ham and Reading*, home draws to villa, spudz and if we repeat the results against the 'big four' then we'll only pick up two points from nine in those games. We don't improve on that and we may as well give the title to the mancs now. We're in the position to shape our own destiny, but nothing is won in December

*I know Reading were relegated, we lost to a side we should have beat and it could as easily be Hull, Stoke or WBA this season if we're not careful

[Sabre]

Big Mick: Yes, you did get an attack in a previous post, which I didn't like (but you already defended yourself).

But to be honest Mick, I didn't see the "what's the fúcking problem" as an attack, but as an angry statement.

I have to make clear that my opinion of the last post is generic, I'm talking generally. For the record, and I don't say this often because you defend yourself well, I think that you never deserved nor planted comments like the one of your job, etc. I'll never aprove that, I'll never laugh at that, I think it's worth carding someone if people insist on that.

But that's a specific example Mick. As a whole, I do understand that people say a bit "what's the fúcking problem". If you see what I mean.

[lakes10]

I despair I really do. Is this a football forum or what? It really is becoming unreal over these last couple of weeks. "Typical negative whinge mode, FFS take your tablets". "What is the f.ucking problem".

It seems the forum is full of people at the moment who don't wish to talk about football, but simply want to shout down anyone who doesn't agree with them. Ah well.

Its been like that for since Rafa come here  in my view.

some (yes me) was not sure he was the right man for the job as they did not feel he understood the Prem (and i still think he gets it wrong a lot of the time) but as soon as you make a post saying what you think, you get told your not a Liverpool fan.

some on here know what it feels like to stand on the kop and see the team walk around with the league trophy, some like me also know what it feels like to be standing on the Kop and be  1 min away from winning the league trophy only to see a goal that will live with you the rest of your life.

being a Liverpool fan means ups and downs it also means we can talk about our club to our friends and say how you feel but they all know we love the club and if we say something bad then it only due to not being happy with the way things are going.

the big problem with some of the members on here is that they forget how it feels to be top all the time, they think its great when we end up in the top 4 as thats all they know.

No we are Liverpool and we should be No1, that our place in English football and its been far too long since we have been there, 2009 is the year we have the best chance for a long time to take our place back. and yes if we dont then i will be looking to blame someone and that someone will be the manager as he pick the team and buys the players and tells the team how to play.

we all love Liverpool FC but we should be able to say how we feel without told to shut the up.

So your reasoning is that the manager is to blame for everything? I am not telling you to shut the fk up but aren't you being just a tad naive? Last year it was the Yanks because they had the audacity to borrow some money and now that's gone quiet - I wonder why? The year before it was Parry and the Gerrard debacle.

I also remember Michael Thomas because I was there. Maybe after thrashing West Ham we took a few things for granted. Who did you blame in that year for Liverpool losing the league?

hmm did you read my post? my post is about what the Fans feel we should be doning, and yes if things go wrong the fans blame the manager...thats football.

todays football is about money..........and thats not good.

Yes we blame the manger when things go wrong but we also know that other things must be taken into account, but if your team is fit then its down to the manager who he picks and how we play.


who do i blame for the Michael Thomas goal? ............Steve McMahon.
if he did not fake being hurt we could have got the ball clear, as it was we all stopped and gave them time to to put a plan into place (as said by Michael Thomas). most of our player had it in their mind that we had won it, so did us fans, we took our eye off the game and it cost us. was the manager to blame.....not in that game but i am sure if we looked back at the whole years football then we could pick out a time we the manger might have cost us a point.


thats football and thats why we lover it, it hurts sometimes.