Liverpool FC Forum

[Homebooby]

Would certainly like to see Robbie alongside Crouch. Of all of our potential striker combinations, none of the others seem particularly threatening.

just watched the highlights on sky this morning. I was as surprised as crouchy that he was taken off and not morientes. I always think he adds something to the front line. He's difficult to handle and a poacher like Robbie will be well served by him I think.

I thought that Kewell was v. impressive tonight. His confidence is much higher than it was a few weeks back. I was most impressed by the number of tackles he shrugged off as if the people weren't there. For the first time in years, we may have a decent threat from the left.

Personally I think that we should have done better against 10 men. What we showed in the last few minutes was what we could have done throughout the game. Ok, you can't play at that tempo all game, but you get the point.

I think we need to have an alternative to Stevie on corners. I find his delivery poor on too many occasions.

Garcia was his usual self. Often caught in possesion and squanders too many opportunities for a player of his calibre.

The front line remains a worry. Morientes bothers me the most. There are moments where an extremely classy player shows through, but I think that the English game is too tight and physical for him. It's a shame cos he should be knocking them in from everywhere.

There were a lot of ifs and maybes in this game tonight. I don't think that Birmingham should have lost a player and I think that we should consider the result as 2 dropped points. I am glad we pulled 1 back on UTD, but 3 would have done us more good.

[NiftyNeil]

The were numerous positive to be taken out of last nights disappointing draw.

Harry Kewell - head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch last night, possibly his best game for Liverpool.

Robbie Fowler - made the kind of runs that stikers are supposed to make, something that I haven't seen at Anfield this season from Cisse/Crouch/Nando. Also brought the twelth man into play last night when he came on - the atmosphere was poor prior to his introduction.

Fowler/Nando partnership - until Fowlers introduction, Morrientes had a stinker, but Robbie seemed to bring out the best in him. They were constantly talking to each other and had an instant understanding.

Daniel Agger - it's always a nervous moment when a center back makes his debut, but Agger rose to the challenge and will only get better. The lad made several headed clearances and had a couple of chances on goal.

Didi Hamman - the last game he started was against Deportivo Saprissa, and he has only featured once since. He played at his usual high standard and has proved that he still has it if we need him. Mr Reliable.

[HacksawJimDuggin]

Morientes is Rafa favourite by the looks of things!!

I wouldn't have changed anything and would have started with Alonso.

[Homebooby]

I don't know what to expect from us on Sunday. Chelsea at home are a very very very good side. What we need to be aware of is that the majority of their goals this season have come from the second-half.

I've had a breather, I was a bit frustrated and angry but I think there is plenty of positives. The progression we've made is still visible. Of course there is the striker situation but under Rafa, I don't see why it can't be sorted. The man and the rest of the coaching staff have done a fantastic job imo.

They've changed the club from top to bottom. The reserves and the youth team are looking quite fecking impressive. The fact that our finances are better than last season also speaks for it self.

Of course this type of game is very frustrating. You dominate, you score and then just minutes from full-time you get a bit of bad luck. That is the beauty and uglyness of football, it can be harsh at times but you can't cry over spilt milk.

We played well and created enough chances. As long as we create chances then we will always have a possibility of scoring. When I will really start worrying is when we don't create chances in games. We aren't putting enough of them in the back of the net, but as I said it's all about progression.

Compare the team from last season to this season, and you can't believe the changes that have taken place.

It's just a wonderful thing to see. At the begining of the season I wanted us to finish in the top three and we have a good chance of doing just that.

Last season I would had been depressed for weeks after this kind of game, but after a couple of hours I've grown to realize even more how much this team is capable.

Agree regarding the turnaround. This time last season we were something like 30 points off the pace, so the difference is dramatic. No complaints from me on that point. I'll admit, I didn't see it happening by the way we started the season, but from the end of October onwards we've moved up a few notches. Provided we can see progress, I can't see how we can have any complaints.

Regarding Chelsea, we seem to play them so often at the moment and the 2 managers appear so tactifully savvy that it often ends up as stalemate. The one difference this time is we have a striker in Robbie who will take a chance that many of our other strikers would squander. That could be the difference.

How many other players would have had the audacity in that situation (debut at Anfield) to try an overhead kick in the last minute of the game, let alone pull it off? I think everyone else in the squad would have headed it, or tried to chest it first and that's the difference between straight up talent and killer instinct and your average striker.

[AlanHansen]

Fowler/Nando partnership - until Fowlers introduction, Morrientes had a stinker, but Robbie seemed to bring out the best in him. They were constantly talking to each other and had an instant understanding.

Morientes set up Gerrard's goal, he gets caught up to easily in possesion though.

[SouthCoastShankly]

I'll be really interested to see who Rafa will pick for the front line against chelsea?

Although I have a feeling he'll be fairly defensive to start, I can see the old 4-5-1 being used

[mark the red]

my views would be that agger looks a very good buy if he can just iron out any little faults like his lazy clearences but apart from that he played beyond his years, looks a good buy.  john aulridge (i cant believe i cant spell it) likened him to alan hansen.

the team done well, we created opportunities but as we always say it reall is about taking your chances and i thought we could of had the game rapped up at half time had we put some away. good stuff from kewell again, he really is on fire at the minute and him and garcia had a few good interchanges and so it looks as thought they will be more prominent as the season progresses if only garcia didnt squander possession as much.

as for the result it was poor and birmingham, although the battled they never really looked a threat aprt fromt he first 10 minutes and the chance at the end.

didi done the business and proved he is still worth a shout, prehaps in games against lesser opposition he is effective as he can choke the game and not allow us to play at their game, luton and portsmouth being prime examples were we were hurried off the ball. although without alonso gerrard looked as though he was almost restricted as alonso gives him the freedom to move a lot more, pretty similar to what stevie g is like for england, he didnt seem to have the freedom until later on in the game, and for me that is not stevie at his best.

finnan was immense for me again, him and riise put the running in and were unlucky

as for the coverage of the game, i went the match last night and when i got home i watched match of the day and they neglected to show our succession of penalty appeals turned down, at least one should have been given.  that uriah rennie isnt fit to ref in the premiership i thought he was poor last night, although the sending off  was right as the tackle was dangerous.

and on a further note, the mancs really are a poor side, balckburn dont have the ability to put 4 past a pub team, they are poor all over the park and it shows the progress that they arent making, they are going backwards

[mark the red]

i take on what nifty said, were i was sitting it was clear that fernando and robbie have an undertsnading, as they moved better, often crouch and mori end up to close together and make it easy for the opposition defence

[stmichael]

We should have won but we decided to hold on to a 1 goal lead and sit back, thus costing us 3 points. We did the same against the Mancs settling for a 0-0 with 20 minutes to go and giving the initiative back to them and leading to an unnecessary defeat, and against Portsmouth where we again stood off them once we thought we had the game won and ended up hanging on.

It's hardly a crisis, but we need to get back to what we were doing a few weeks ago where we looked as if we were in complete control once we took the lead whoever we were playing.

It's been said that tiredness might be becoming a factor and that is a huge concern considering we're embarking on a prolonged run of difficult games twice a week.

Second is there for the taking as is progress to the quarter's of the CL (even though I don't think that Benfica will be the walk in the park that some seem to think), I just hope we have the energy levels and bottle to deliver.

Incidentally, Kewell last night was outstanding in the first half and looks to be getting back to his old self.

[Leonmc0708]

I am dead off by our stinking strike force. Morientes must be the biggest joke ever. Letting him play 90 minutes day in day out is beyond a joke now. We are playing with 10 men!!!!

I take it you watched the game on the radio then soft lad ?

[stmichael]

I didn't agree with Rafa's substitutions either. I'd have left Gerrard on until we got the second goal and then made changes. I wouldn't have taken Crouchy off straight after the goal either. It was so annoying to watch us stroll around at 1-0, and then when they equalised we created about five chances to win it. Why not do that at 1-0 to kill the game off?

[anfieldadorer]

why didn't kill the game off? who didn't want to? we created many chances, but there was nothing new: we don't have a clinical finisher (before robbie introduced) that would remain the same if we're only to depend scoring on only our mids, as it's not their main job. this is why robbie's arrival was considered to be a strategic measure. i'm far happier than what we showed against pompey.  we should have won by more than 2-0 and didn't deserve the draw. it's as simple as "it's not xabi's day" yet still far better than last season when he got the horrific injury.

[GunGod]

I wouldn't have taken Crouchy off straight after the goal either. It was so annoying to watch us stroll around at 1-0, and then when they equalised we created about five chances to win it. Why not do that at 1-0 to kill the game off?

I think the decision to make the substitution was before the goal was scored.

[zarababe]

Am I the only one here who feels like Ive smoked 5 spliffs and on a high?
Im on cloud nine I think we played great tonight 

.. you and 40,000 + who witnessed it.

But for Xabi's moment of sublime 'madness'  we would have won.

Let's face it that the same ar.sse ole's who probably arn't LFC supporters, come on here and moan, for a wind-up, notice their conspicuous absence when we keep winning..

We played well, Kewell is shining, and we have lots of options, now that Agger (impressive) has also arrived.. and well Robbie.. a yard offside but boy does he have the touch..

2nd spot here we come.....

[zarababe]

I didn't agree with Rafa's substitutions either. I'd have left Gerrard on until we got the second goal and then made changes.

Gerrard need to be rested.. lets face it Xabi's contribution cost us (and it happens.. perspectibe ppl) .. otherwsie would you be saying that .. Saint